
Qass Q E lE -^ 

Book .B 6 F^ 



Professional Paper No. 53 _ ,„ „ , , „, 

(0, Underground Waters, 57 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 
UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 

CHARLES D. WALCOTT, DIRECTOR 



GEOLOGY AND WATER RESOURCES 



BIGHORN BASIN, WYOMING 



OASSIUS A. FISHEK 




WASHINGTON 

GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 

1906 



Professional Paper No. 53 



j B, Descriptive Geology, 91 
(0, Underground "Waters, 57 



DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 

CHARLES D. WALCOTT, Director 



GEOLOGY AND WATER RESOURCES 



BIGHORN BASIN, WYOMING 



OASSIUS A. FISHER 




WASHINGTON 

GOVEENMENT PRINTING OFFICE 

1906 






«Kii 



\^<S1 



CONTENTS, 



Page. 

Introduction 1 

Topography 1 

General relations 1 

Relief 2 

Bighorn Mountain region 2 

Bridger and Owl Creek mountains 3 

Absaroka and Beartooth mountains 3 

Shoshone Mountains 3 

Sheep Mountain region 4 

Bighorn basin region 4 

Drainage - 5 

Bighorn River 5 

Shoshone River 6 

Gray Bull River 6 

Clark Fork 7 

Other important streams 7 

Outline of the geology - 8 

Stratigraphy 8 

Pre-Cambrian rocks 9 

Granite 9 

General statement 9 

Granites of the Bighorn Mountain region 9 

Dikes of the Bighorn Mountain region. _ 9 

Granite and diabase of Rattlesnake Mountain 10 

Granite of Owl Creek Mountains. 10 

Cambrian system 10 

Deadwood formation 10 

General relations ■ 10 

Absaroka Mountain region 10 

Bighorn Mountain region 11 

Owl Creek Mountain region 11 

Ordovician system 12 

Bighorn limestone 12 

General relations 12 

Absaroka Mountain region 12 

Bighorn Mountain region 12 

Carboniferous system 13 

Madison formation 13 

General relations 13 

Absaroka Mountain region 14 

Bighorn Mountain region 14 

Owl Creek Mountain region 14 



IV CONTENTS. 

Outline of the geology — Continued. Page. 
Stratigraphy — Continued. 

Carboniferous system — Continued. 

Amsden formation 15 

General relations. 15 

Absaroka Mountain region 15 

Bighorn Mountain region 15 

Owl Creek Mountain region 16 

Tensleep sandstone 16 

General relations 16 

Absaroka Mountain region 16 

Bighorn Mountain region 16 

Owl Creek Mountain region 17 

Embar formation 17 

General relations 17 

Rattlesnake and Cedar mountains 17 

Triassic system (?) 18 

Chugwater formation 18 

General relations 18 

Distribution 18 

Local stratigraphy 19 

Age of the formation 21 

Jurassic system 21 

Sundance formation 21 

General relations 21 

Absaroka Mountain region 21 

Bighorn Mountain region 23 

Cretaceous system 25 

Morrison formation 25 

General relations 25 

Absaroka and Owl Creek Mountain region 25 

Bighorn Mountain region 26 

Cleverly formation 26 

General relations 26 

Absaroka Mountain region 27 

Bighorn Mountain region 27 

Owl Creek Mountain region 28 

Colorado formation 28 

General relations 28 

Pryor Mountain region 29 

Absaroka Mountain region 29 

Bighorn Mountain region 29 

Sandstone dikes 30 

Pierre shale 30 

Character and thickness 30 

Distribution 30 

Laramie and associated formations 31 

General statement 31 

Stratigraphy 31 

Age of the formations 32 

Supposed Fex Hills sandstones 32 

Tertiary system 32 

Volcanic and associated sedimentary rocks 32 

Wasatch formation 33 

Character and thickness 33 

Distribution 33 



CONTENTS. V 

Outline of the geology — Continued. Page. 
Stratigraphy — Continued . 

Quaternary system 34 

General statement 34 

Early terrace gravels 34 

Later terrace gravels 34 

Alluvium 35 

Structural geology 36 

General features 36 

Bighorn uplift 36 

Absaroka Mountains 37 

Shoshone Mountains. .• 38 

Sheep Mountain 38 

West side of the basin _ 38 

Thermopolis anticline. 39 

Historical geology 39 

General statement 39 

Cambrian times 40 

Ordovician period 40 

Silurian-Devonian times 40 

Carboniferous conditions 40 

Jurassic sea :. 41 

Cretaceous period 41 

Early Tertiary deposits 42 

Water resources 42 

Ground waters. 42 

Underground waters 43 

Irrigation. 44 

General statement 44 

Bighorn River 44 

Shoshone Riverl 44 

Clark Fork 45 

Gray Bull River 45 

Shell Creek. 45 

Other flowing streams 45 

Dry Creek 46 

Irma flats ...» 46 

Shoshone project 46 

Mineral resources ._ 46 

Coal ....'. 46 

General description 46 

Cody district 47 

Meeteetse district 48 

Thermopolis district . 52 

No Wood district 53 

Basin district 54 

Garland district 55 

Silver Tip district 56 

Bentonite 56 

Gypsum 58 

Oil and gas 59 

Bonanza oil field 59 

Byron gas field 59 

Building stone •. 60 

Sandstone \ 60 

Limestone 60 

Granite 60 



VI CONTENTS. 

Mineral resources — Concinued. Page. 

Gra^^rel 60 

Fire clay 60 

Gold _ 60 

Bald Mountaia district 60 

Bighorn basin region _ 60 

Mineral waters 61 

Cody Hot Springs _ 61 

Description 61 

Hot-spring deposits _ 61 

Source of water _ 61 

Thermopolis Hot Springs 62 

Warm springs in Black Canyon 62 

Sulphur 62 

Climate 63 

Eainfall 63 

Culture 64 

Index 67 



ILLUSTRATIONS 



/ Page. 

Plate 1. A, Cody, from the southeast; B, Gray Bull River above Pitchfork ranch, Wyoming 2 

II; A, Shoshone River at Cody, Wyo.; B, Shoshone dam site, upper end of Shoshone Canyon. . 6 

III.^ Geologic map of the Bighorn basin, Wyoming Pocket. 

IV. ' Cross sections across the Bighorn basin, Wyoming, from the Bighorn to the Absaroka Moun- 
tains 8 

V. Columnar sections of the east and west sides of Bighorn basin, Wyoming 10 

VI.' A, Characteristic weathering of Bighorn limestone and upper part of Madison limestone, north 

face of Shoshone Canyon; B, Diabase dike cutting granite, Shoshone Canyon 12 

VII; A, Massive beds of Madison limestone overlain by softer Amsden shales, upper end of Sho- 
shone Canyon, above dam site; B, Typical Amsden formation on the western slope of the 

* Bighorn Mountains 14 

VIII." A, Characteristic Tensleep sandstone on the western slope of the Bighorn Mountains; B, 

, Tensleep sandstone in No Wood Canyon, Bighorn basin, Wyoming 16 

IX. A, Characteristic long cliff of Chugwater red beds, eastern part of Bighorn basin; B, Perpen- 
dicular wall of Chugwater red beds near Shell, Wyo 18 

X. A, Shoshone River Valley in vicinity of Corbett, Wyo.; B, Wasatch conglomerate lying uncon- 

formably on Laramie sandstone at head of Dry Cottonwood Creek 32 

XI. Diagram of the structure of the Bighorn basin, Wyoming 36 

XII. Irrigation map of Bighorn basin, Wyoming 44 

XIII: A, Shoshone River in the vicinity of Corbett, Wyo.; B, Shoshone reservoir site, north and 

south forks of Shoshone River above Shoshone Canyon 46 

XIV.' A, McDonald & Cottle coal mine near Thermopolis, Wyo.; B, Coal bed at McDonald & Cot- 
tle mine near Thermopolis, Wyo 52 

XV. A, Oil well and derrick near Bonanza, Wyo.; B, Hot-spring deposits at Thermopolis, Wyo. . 58 
XVI. A, Shoshone River at the hot mineral springs west of Cody, showing Quartenary gravels and 

extinct geyser cone; B, Sink hole in geyser deposits 60 

Fig. 1. Map of part of Wyoming and Montana, showing area described 2 



GEOLOGY AND WATER RESOURCES OF THE BIGHORN BASIN, 

WYOMING. 



By Cassius A. Fisher. 



I]SrTRODUCTIO]Sr. 

This paper is the result of field work done during the seasons of 1904 and 1905 
It is designed mainly to furnish information regarding geologic structure and. 
the prospects for underground water. The description of the formations of the 
Bighorn Mountain area is chiefly the work of N. H. Darton, under whose direction 
the exploration was made. 

A general account of the surface waters is given, including a statement of 
their present and proposed uses for irrigation, and the economic products of a 
geologic nature are also described. The region considered comprises the Bighorn 
basin, a part of the Clark Fork basin, and the slopes of the adjoining mountain 
ranges, the entire area comprising 8,500 square miles. As shown on fig. 1, it is 
situated mainly in Bighorn County, in the northwestern part of Wyoming, and 
includes the greater portion of the area lying between meridians 107° 15' and 
109° 15' and parallels 43° 40' and 45°. It is bounded on the north by Montana, 
on the east by the Bighorn Mountains, on the south by Bighorn and Owl Creek 
mountains, and on the west by Shoshone, Absaroka, and Beartooth mountains. 

TOPOGRAPHY. 

GENERAL RELATIONS. 

The area presents a great variety of topographic forms. Its salient feature 
is a broad structural valley bordered on nearly all sides by high mountain ranges. 
Along the outer portions of the valley there are a number of secondary ridges of 
moderate prominence, extending in a direction nearly parallel to the trend of the ■. 
higher mountain ranges. The interior of the valley is characterized by high bad- 
lands slopes, which termmate in irregular ridges and sharp peaks or are capped 
by older gravel terraces. The streams crossing the basin flow in deep but broad, 
sloping valleys, bordered by terraces rising to adjoining highlands. 

1 



GEOLOGY AND WATER RESOURCES OF BIGHORN BASIN. 
RELIEF, 



There is considerable range of altitude in the area. The highest point in the 
district is the Washakie Needles, very prominent peaks in the southern part of 
the Shoshone Moxintains, which rise to an altitude of 12,496 feet. The lowest point 
is at the iipper end of Bighorn Canyon, where the altitude is less than 3,600 feet 
above sea level. The average altitude for the interior of the basin is 5,000 feet. 

Bighorn Mountains. — The high western slopes of the Bighorn Mountains extend 
diagonally across the eastern side of the district from southeast to northwest. In 




Fig. 1. — Map o£ part of Wyoming and Montana, showing area described 



the northern part of the basin the slopes are 6 to 10 miles wide and extend from 
a point about 6 miles southeast of Shell post-office nearly to Medicine Mountain, 
where, owing to a decrease in dip, the high mountain front merges into a broad, 
sloping plateau that lies between the outer edge of the front range and the summit 
of the main uplift. The mountains generally rise abruptly from the plains to an 
altitude of about 8,000 feet and then more gradually toward the summit line or 
divide of the range, which reaches, in places, an altitude of about 10,000 feet. All 
the larger streams have their sources near the tops of the mountains and have cut 



S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 



PROFESSIONAL PAPER NO. 53 PL. 




A. CODY, FROM THE SOUTHEAST. 




GRAY BULL RIVER ABOVE PITCHFORK RANCH, V^YO. 



BELIEF. 3 

deep canyons in the mountain front, while at its northern end the high, sloping 
plateau is deeply trenched by Bighorn River and Devil Canyon. There are a 
number of prominent peaks along the summit of the Bighorn Mountains, including 
Hunt, Little Bald, Bald, Medicine, and Duncom mountains, all of which rise to 
an altitude pf about 10,000 feet. 

From the summit of the high divide between Shell and Paintrock creeks south- 
ward the western side of the Bighorn Mountains is characterized by long, gradual 
slopes, generally deeply cut by the numerous mountain streams which traverse 
them. Extending along the base of the moimtains from northwest to southeast 
are a number of minor folds, some of which give rise to prominent topographic 
ridges. 

Bridger and Oivl Creek mountains. — The Bighorn basin is bounded on the south 
by the Bridger and Owl Creek mountains. Both ranges belong to the same general 
uplift, which in realit}'' is a prolongation of the Bighorn Mountains westward. The 
uplift ranges in altitude from 7,000 to 9,500 feet. Near the center from east to 
west it is crossed b}'' Bighorn River, which cuts a narrow gorge having a depth of 
2,250 feet in the axis of the range. The uplift is characterized on the north by 
long, gradual slopes and on the south by steep ascents, which are considerably 
faulted. Only the lower portion of the northern slope of that part of the uplift 
lying west of Bighorn River is included in the area to which this report relates. 
Along the northern side of Owl Creek Mountains, in the vicinity of Thermopolis, 
there are a 'number of small anticlines, giving rise to prominent topographic ridges. 

Ahsarolca and Beartooth mountains. — The eastern side of the Absaroka and 
Beartooth mountains forms a narrow strip along the western margin of the district, 
extending from Black Mountain northward to the Montana line. The highest 
portion of this front range is Black Mountain, which has an altitude of about 8,600 
feet above sea level. Across Shoshone River, in the vicinity of Cody, there is an 
anticlinal spur extending from the Absaroka Mountains, which comprises the Rattle- 
snake and Cedar Mountain uplift. The highest portion of this spur is near the north 
end of Rattlesnake Mountain. The uplift has been deeply trenched at the south 
end by Shoshone River, which has there formed a canyon that now separates Cedar 
and Rattlesnake moimtains. Heart Mountain, an isolated butte in the north- 
western part of the basin, is a very prominent topographic feature, rising to an 
altitude of nearly 8,000 feet. A view of Cody, in the Shoshone Valley, with Heart, 
Rattlesnake, and Cedar mountains in the distance, is shown on PI. I, ^. McCulloch 
Peak is a prominent eminence southeast of Heart Mountain, on the opposite side 
of Shoshone River. Its altitude is about 6,000 feet. Between Heart Mountain 
and McCulloch Peak and the main uplift west of these high points are several low 
ridges, due to minor folding, and along the base of the mountains lie a number of 
hogback ridges. 

Shoshone Mountains. — From Shoshone River southward the basin is bordered 
by the Shoshone Mountains. This range, in appearance, is that of a high, deeply 
dissected plateau, presenting a confused mass of castellated peaks and ridges and 
traversed by many deeply cut canyons. This configuration is maintained to the 
eastern mountain front/ which, in the region north of Gray Bull River, is bordered 
by a broad belt of low foothills. To the south of this stream the transition between 



4 GEOLOGY AND WATER EESOUBCES OF BIGHORN BASIN. 

mountain and plain is more gradual, and between Sunshine post-office and Dent's 
ranch many of the prominent mountainous ridges extend far out into the basin 
province. 

Sheep Mountain region. — Several high ridges extend across the eastern side 
of the basin from the mouth of Shell Creek to Shoshone River, the most prominent 
of which are Sheep and Little Sheep mountains. Sheep Mountain has an altitude 
of about 5,000 feet, rising 800 to 900 feet above the surrounding country. It is 
deeply cut by Bighorn River in Black Canyon. Little Sheep Mountain has an 
altitude of about 5,000 feet, and, as it is bordered on the north and the east by 
lowlands, is a prominent topographic feature. 

Bighorn iasin region. — Between Clark Fork and Bighorn River there is a ridge 
extending from the vicinity of Heart Mountain northeastward to the western end of 
Pryor Mountain; the lowest point in this ridge, which is at the head of Big Sand 
Coulee, has an altitude of 4,800 feet. At the southwest end of the ridge the divide is 
very narrow, but to the northeast it is continued as a broad plateau which constitutes 
one of the most prominent topographic features of the northern part of the Bighorn 
basin. On either side of Clark Fork the surface rises gradually toward the surround- 
ing highlands. To the west of Clark Fork, between the valley and the high moun- 
tains, there are a number of prominent hills, some of which have an altitude of nearly 
7,000 feet. On the northern side of Sage Creek, from Frannie to beyond Cowley, the 
surface rises gradually toward the hogback ridges bordering the base of Pryor Moun- 
tain. Between Cowley and Garland there is a series of low, irregular, sandstone hills 
separated by wide, shallow valleys leading to Shoshone River. West of Garland, 
between Shoshone River and the base of the high plateau to the north, there is a 
broad, level area, comprising about 100 square miles, known as Garland Flats. 

The region between Shoshone River and Dry Creek is made up of gradual slopes, 
traversed by high ridges and deep ravines. The divide between these two streams 
usually presents a high escarpment to the north and long, gradual slopes to the south. 
In its westward extension it terminates in McCulloch Peak. Beyond Dry Creek, 
which flows through a wide, open valley, there is a high terrace, more or less dissected 
by ravines on either side, which continues to the Gray Bull Valley. Northwest of 
Wise there is a high plateau sloping eastward, known as Meeteetse rim, which rises to 
an altitude of over 7,000 feet. It is about 3 miles wide and occupies the area between 
Meeteetse Creek and the head of Sage Creek. In its eastward extension it spreads 
out considerably and is traversed by numerous deep ravines. A very prominent 
ridge occurs between the headwaters of Dry and Sage creeks, which is locally known 
as Frost Ridge. It has an altitude of about 7,000 feet and continues from Frost 
ranch southeastward for about 6 miles. 

The Gray Bull River Valley below Fourbear post-office is relatively wide, but in 
the vicinity of Pitchfork ranch it narrows rapidly and is bordered on either side by 
high bluffs of Cretaceous formations. Below Fenton the blufl"s recede and the valley 
again widens to 5 or 6 miles and maintains this width nearly to the mouth of the 
river. 

The topographic features of that portion of the basin lying between Gray Bull 
and Bighorn rivers are mainly those of a badlands district. Broadly viewed, the 
surface is a plain rising from east to west, which has been much dissected by large, 



DKAINAGE. 



intermittent streams and their numerous tributaries. A number of high buttes still 
remain in the interior of the basin. Tatman Mountain, Squaw Buttes, and Ho Ridge 
are among the most prominent, all of which rise to an altitude of about 6,000 feet. 
To the west the surface rapidly rises, and a number of very prominent ridges occur 
between the headwaters of Owl, Cottonwood, Grass, and Gooseberry creeks and 
Wood River. 

The region lying east of Bighorn River, which comprises the southeastern part of 
the basin, is mainly a badlands district. It consists of long, gradual slopes ter- 
minating in irregular ridges and sharp peaks. Along the high divide between No 
Wood and No Water creeks are a number of isolated peaks which have altitudes of 
5,800 to 6,000 feet. On the west side of this divide, near the head of the east fork of 
No Water Creek, there is an area of very rugged topography, known as the Honey- 
combs. 

DRAINAGE. 

Bighorn River. — The principal stream of the district is Bighorn River. It enters 
the area at Thermopolis and flows in a northerly direction across the region, passing 
into Bighorn Canyon near the Montana line. Its largest tributaries from the west 
are Shoshone and Gray Bull rivers and Gooseberry, Meeyero, and Owl creeks, and 
from the east No Wood and Shell creeks. A number of small streams of moderate 
flow enter the river in the northern part of the basin. These are Bear, Crystal, Five 
Springs, Willow, and Cottonwood creeks from the east and Crooked Creek from the 
west. There are several intermittent streams with large drainage areas in the 
central portion of the basin, which, during the flood season, carry a large volume of 
water. The largest of these are Dry, Dry Cottonwood, Kirby, and No Water. 
Measurements of the flow of Bighorn River have been taken at Thermopolis and 
Basin, and the results of these observations are given in the following table : 

Discharge measurements of Bighorn River at Thermopolis, Wyo. 
[Made by A.J. Parshall.] 

1903. Second-feet. 

June 20 9, 280 

June 21 8, 444 

June 22 7, 442 

July 18 3,882 

July 20 4,024 

1904. 

March 25 290 

June 19 12,940 

June 22 14, 240 

July 11 , 7,117 

July 12 7,467 

July 17 6,130 

July 28 5, 008 

Augusts 3,941 

August 11 2,878 

August 26 2,084 

November24 438 



-feet. 

July 28 4, 867 

August 7 4,204 

August 16 - 2,673 

September 14 1,162 

1900. 

May 28 8, 500 



May 29 


10 527 


May 30 


12, 187 


September 13 


945 




- - 672 


1902. 
June 11 


9 080 


June 14 


8, 391 




6,334 


1903. 
March 27 


621 


May 23 


1 953 


May 25 


1, 709 



6 



GEOLOGY AND WATER EESOURCES OF BIGHORN BASIN. 



Shoshone River. — Shoshone River, the largest tributary of Bighorn River, flows 
diagonally across the northern portion of the Bighorn basin. It is formed by the 
North Fork and the South Fork of the Shoshone, which have their confluence just 
above Shoshone Canyon. This river was formerly called Stinkingwater River, a 
name derived from the distinctly sulphurous odors which its waters emit, especially 
in the vicinity of Cody, where there are a number of hot mineral springs (PI. XVI, A, 
p. 60). The principal tributaries of Shoshone River are, from the south. Carter, 
Diamond, Sulphur, Sage, Whistle, and Coon creeks, and from the north. Trail, Dry, 
Cottonwood, Eaglenest, Alkali, and Sage creeks. Nearly all these streams are dry 
for a portion of the year. Discharge measurements of Shoshone River near Cody, 
Wyo. (see PI. II, A), have been made as follows: 



Discharge measurements of Shoshone River near Cody, Wyo, 



Second-; 
.... 4, 



1902. Second-feet. 

April 26 538 

June 7- - 4, 352 

July 17 2,812 

July 31. 2, 039 

December 8 270 

1903. 

March 20 263 

April 21 633 

April 25 1, 399 

May 19 1, 374 

May 20 1, 263 

June 6 2, 624 

June 11 5,502 

June 16 7, 297 

June 17 8, 885 

June 18... 8,840 

Hydrographer, A. J. Parshall, except for the following dates: June 6, 11, and October 31, 1903, and 
22, June 17, 20, August 27, October 8, and December 22, 1904, J. Ahern; April 30, 1904, W. E. Young. 



1903. 
June 24 

July 14 - 3: 

July 15 - 3: 

July 25 3 

October 31 

1904. 

March 29 

April 30 1 

May 22 6 

June 17 6 

June 20 • 9 

August 27 1 

September 9 

October 8 

December 22 



299 
087 
450 

253 
536 
200 
330 
116 



May 



Gray Bull River. — This stream rises in the Shoshone Mountains and flows north- 
eastward across the central part of the basin, joining Bighorn River near Coburn 
post-office. As the stream has its source high on the slopes of a snowy range, it 
carries a large amount of water, especially in midsummer. At Meeteetse its flow is 
estimated as follows : 



Estimated monthly discharge of Gray Bull River at Meeteetse, Wyo., 1897. 



Second-feet (mean). 

October a 100 

November a 100 

December a, 100 



Second-feet (mean). 

June 14-30 943 

July 513 

August 299 

September 104 

o Approximate. 

The largest tributary is Wood River, which rises high on the slopes of the 
southern part of the Shoshone Mountains at altitudes ranging from 10,000 to 12,000 
feet, where there is much snow and a moderately high rainfall. In consequence 
this stream carries a good volume of water. From the north, Gray Bull River 



GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 



PROFESSIONAL PAPER NO. 63 




A. SHOSHONE RIVER AT CODY, WYO. 




HOSHONE DAM SITE. 
Upper end of Shoshone Canyon 



DRAINAGE. i 

receives small flows from Rawhide, Spring, and Meeteetse creeks, and from the south, 
from Timber and Franks creeks. 

Clark Fork. — This stream crosses the extreme northwest corner of the district. 
It rises high in the slopes of the Absaroka Mountains to the west and carries a large 
volume of water, especially during the early summer months. From the south, its 
principal tributaries are Pat O'Harra, Paint, and Newmeyers creeks and from the 
west. Little Rocky, Bennett, and Line Creeks. All these streams have a vigorous 
flow derived from springs on the mountain slopes. 

Oilier irrqjortant streams. — Owl Creek, which flows along the base of the Owl 
Creek Mountains and joins Bighorn River below Thermopolis, carries only a moderate 
volume of water, which probably does not exceed 20 second-feet. It is formed by 
North Fork and South Fork of Owl Creek, which have their confluence near Embar 
ranch. 

In the southwestern part of the basin along the base of the Shoshone Mountains 
several streams have their sources. Gooseberry Creek, the largest of these, flows 
across the southern part of the basin and joins Bighorn River above Olwen post- 
office. It carries considerable water in its upper course, and a small amount goes 
through to Bighorn River at all seasons of the year. Middle and Enos creeks, two 
small running streams, join Gooseberry Creek in the vicinity of Dickie ranch. 

Meeyero Creek, which drains the district between Gooseberry and Owl creeks, 
is formed by Grass and Cottonwood creeks, at a point about 6 miles east of Morrison 
ranch, and joins Bighorn River near Winchester post-office. Cottonwood and Grass 
creeks are fed by springs at the base of the mountains and have small flows which 
continue throughout the year, but below their junction the water sinks, and the 
lower part of Meeyero Creek is usually dry in the late summer months. 

No Wood Creek flows in a northwesterly direction along the west side of the 
Bighorn Mountains and receives several vigorous mountain streams, most of which 
rise in springs in the higher slopes of the Bighorn Mountains east of the area here 
described. The principal affluents are Paintrock and Tensleep creeks, and above 
these are Spring, Otter, and Little Canyon creeks. All of these are flowing streams, 
which add materially to the volume of No Wood Creek. Messrs. Elwood Mead and 
C. T. Johnston made a discharge measurement of No Wood Creek at Morgan's ranch, 
4 miles above its mouth, August 21, 1897, which showed a flow of 109 second -feet. 

Shell Creek, one of the largest branches of Bighorn River in the northeastern 
part of the area, rises in the Bighorn Mountains near the base of Cloud Peak, in a 
region of perpetual snow. It has an average fall of 20 feet a mile in the lowlands 
west of the mountains and carries a large amount of water. Trapper, Horse, and 
Beaver creeks are its principal tributaries. 

Dry Cottonwood Creek is the largest intermittent stream in the central part of 
the Bighorn basin. It rises in the high hills near M*teetse and joins the Bighorn at 
Worland. The area drained by this stream is about 450 square miles, lying between 
Gray Bull River and Gooseberry Creek. As this stream has its source on the west 
side of the basin, where there is a relatively large rainfall, it carries considerable 
flood water. Dry Creek, another important intermittent tributary, crosses the 
north-central part of the basin, rising near Meeteetse rim and joining Bighorn River 
at Cob urn post-office. This stream also has a large watershed. 



O GEOLOGY AND WATER RESOURCES OF BIGHOEK BASIN. 

The soutkeastern part of the Bighorn basin is drained by Kirby and No Water 
creeks, but these streams do not rise high on the slopes of the adjoining mountains, 
where they can receive water from melting snows, and in consequence are flowing 
streams for part of the year only. The region which they drain is used mainly for 
grazing. 

OtJTLIJfE OF THE GEOLOGY. 



STRATIGRAPHY. 

The formations appearing at the surface within the area to which this report 
relates consist of both igneous and sedimentary rocks. They are representatives 
of the pre-Cambrian, Cambrian, Ordovician, Carboniferous, Triassic, Jurassic, 
Cretaceous, Tertiary, and Quaternary systems. The distribution of the various 
formations, except the Quaternary, is shown on the geologic map (PI. Ill, pocket), 
and their structural relations are indicated in the cross sections (PI. IV). The data 
for the geologic map of the area included in R. 102 and 103 W., T. 43 and 44 N., 
have been taken from the report on the geology of the Owl Creek Mountains by 
Mr. N. H. Darton. « 

The following table shows the order, age, and characteristic features of the forma- 
tions (PI. V) : 

Table of geologic formations in the Bighorn basin, b 



Principal characters. 



Jurassic 

Triassic (?) . 



Carboniferous . 



Ordovician 

Cambrian 

Pre-Cambrian. 



Alluvium 

Hot spring deposits 

Later terrace gravels 

I Early terrace gravels 

Volcanic rocks 

Wasatch 

Laramie and associated 
formations. 

Pierre shale 

Colorado formation 

Cleverly formation 

.Morrison 

Sundance 

Chugwater formation . . 

'Embar formation 



.Amsden formation 

iMadison limestone 

Bighorn limestone 

Dead wood formation 



Sand, loam, and gravel 

Light-colored calcareous rock 

Gravel and sand; dark color due to large amount of volcanic 
material. 

dark pebbles predominate in 

Mainly volcanic breccia vi'ith basalt flows, intrusive dikes, 

and associated sedimentary rooks. 
Sand, clay, and conglomerate 



Dark sandy shales containing concretions of i 



alternating with massive red to purple 



Pale grayish-green sandstones and shales. 



ith layers of lime- 
Massive red sandstone and shale, with layers of limestone 
and gypsum. 

gray limestone 

gray sandstone, containing layers of limestone 

Red sandy shales and sandstones, with layers of limestone 
and chert. 

Gray massive limestones 

Siliceous gray limestone, very hard and massive 

Sandstone, shale, conglomerate, and limestone 

Granite 



Feet. 
20-40 



2,000-3,000 
5,000-7,000 



1,200-2,000 
1,400-2,000 



130-400 
200-350 



80-200 
30-250 
100-200 

700-1,000 

200-300 

700-1,500 



a Geology of the Owl Creek Mountains, etc., U. S. Senate Doc. No. 119, 59th Cong., 1st session. 

>> Many of the names given in this table have been proposed by N. H. Darton for the Bighorn Mountain region. They 
are defined in a Comparison of the stratigraphy of the Black Hills, Bighorn Mountains, and Rocky Mountain Front Range: 
Bull. Geol. Soc. America, vol. 15, 1904, pp. 379-448, pis. 23-34. 



U.S.GEOLOGICAL SURV 







3 GEOLOGICAL SURVEV 



PROFESSIONAL PAPER NO 53 PL- 




CROSS SECTIONS OF THE BIGHOKN BASIN, ■Wl'OMING.BYC-A.nSHER 



STRATIGRAPHY. VJ 

PBE-CAMBRIAN ROCKS. 

GRANITE. 

General statement. — The underlying formation of the Bighorn uplift is a massive 
granite which has been raised several thousand feet above its original position. In 
the northern part of the Bighorn Mountains the overlying sedimentary rocks con- 
ceal the greater part of the granite, but it appears in irregular areas in several por- 
tions of the district. The most extensive exposures are about Bald Mountain, in the 
anticline extending from Red Gulch to a point west of Medicine Mountain, in the 
valley of Porcupine Creek, in Cookstove basin, and in the deeper portions of the 
canyons of Shell Creek. The rock is generally very massive and is of pre-Cambrian 
age. Granite is also exposed in Shoshone Canyon and on the north slope of the Owl 
Creek Mountains. 

Granites of the Bighorn Mountain region. — The granites of the northwestern 
portion of the Bighorn Mountains are mainly a coarse-grained red variety, but there 
are a few small areas of a fine-grained gray granite. 

The so-called red granite has a light-grayish appearance at a distance, but when 
viewed at close range is seen to be characterized by a more or less pronounced 
reddish tinge, due to the abundance of pink feldspar in it. The rock often presents 
a well-defined system of joints, and weathers into bold, rounded forms. Its surface 
is usually rough, owing to differential weathering, and the large feldspar phenocrysts 
often have sufficient prominence to give it a porphyritic appearance. The principal 
constituents are feldspar, quartz, and mica, occurring in varying proportions. 

The gray granites of the district are generally uniform in color and texture and 
in the kind, amount, and distribution of their component minerals. There are, 
however, local areas where the ferromagnesian minerals predominate, giving the 
rock a very dark appearance. The gray granite presents in some localities a well- 
defined system of joints, the rock weathering into angular blocks or slabs, making 
the topography very rugged. To the unaided eye this rock is of dark-gray color, of 
medium to fine texture, and is marked occasionally by lines of secondary movement. 
The principal constituents are feldspar, quartz, and biotite. 

Dilces of the Bighorn Mountain region. — Several dikes of diabase and peridotite 
cut the granite area described above. They vary in width from 2 to 25 feet and 
usually extend transversely or at a wide angle to the major axis of the main uplift. 
These dikes, owing to the greater hardness of the rock, offer greater resistance to 
atmospheric agencies than the softer granites into which they have been intruded, 
and consequently stand out in more or less prominent ridges that extend across the 
. granitic areas. The rock weathers into cubes 2 to 6 inches square, the ultimate 
product of decomposition being a reddish-brown residual soil which in color presents 
a striking contrast to that derived from the lighter colored country rock. There are 
several of these dikes in the vicinity of Bald Mountain and on Porcupine and South 
Beaver creeks. In the granite flats west of Bald Mountain there is a branch dike 
extending north-northwest. It passes east of Medicine Mountain under the Dead- 
wood sandstone for about a mile and appears to be continued due northward by one 
of the dikes crossing Porcupine Creek, its entire length being at least 5 miles. Small 



10 GEOLOGY AND WATEE KESOUECES OF BIGHOEN BASIN. 

dikes, or chimneys, of diabase appear in the vicinity of Fortunatus Mill, especially to 
the southwest. They are from 10 to 20 feet in diameter and of circular or elliptical 
outline. These smaller masses are of variable character and some of them exhibit 
considerable mineralization. The distribution of the dikes is not shown on the 
geologic map. 

A microscopic examination of the diabase shows that the constituent minerals 
are feldspar, augite, and quartz, with biotite, magnetite, chlorite, and apatite 
occurring in smaller amounts. 

Granite and diabase of Rattlesnake Mountain. — A small area of granite is exposed 
in Shoshone Canyon between Rattlesnake and Cedar mountains. The rock is 
moderately coarse grained and massive and appears to have been subjected to con- 
siderable pressure, for in places it is schistose. It has a well-defined system of joints, 
and weathers into bold, rounded forms. The granite is cut by dikes and sills of a 
quartz-bearing diabase. No microscopic examination of the granite of this locality 
has been made. One of the diabase dikes is shown in PI. VI, B, p. 12. 

Granite of Owl CreeJc Mountains. — The granites of the north slope of the Owl 
Creek Mountains, a small area of which is exposed within the district, appear to have 
no essential variation from those above described. 

CAMBRIAN SYSTEM. 

DEADWOOD FORMATION. 

General relations. — The oldest sedimentary formation outcropping within the 
area is a series of beds of sandstone, shale, limestone, and conglomerate of middle 
Cambrian age that have a thickness ranging from 700 to 1 ,500 feet. To these beds, 
in the Bighorn Mountain province, Mr. Darton has applied the name Deadwood 
formation. The basal member is a sandstone, somewhat conglomeratic, lying on 
the granite. Its thickness varies from 10 to 30 feet. Next above this is a series of 
greenish-gray shales with layers of sandstone and sandy shale, having in all a thick- 
ness of about 300 feet. This member is succeeded by a sandstone 25 to 40 feet thick, 
which in turn is overlain by several hundred feet of shale containing thin-bedded 
conglomeratic sandstones and limestones. Overlying these beds are alternating 
layers of limestone and limestone conglomerate made up of fiat limestone pebbles. 
The pebbles are mostly green in color, but on freshly broken surfaces are gray to pale 
pink. These limestones and conglomerates have a thickness of about 200 feet and 
are sometimes capped by a layer of white sandstone, which is regarded as the base of 
the Bighorn formation. 

Fossils have been observed at various horizons, chiefly in the limestones a short 
distance above the middle of the formation, in the sandstones next below, and in the 
basal sandstones. The prominent forms are Dicellomus politus and Ptychoparia 
owenia, the latter occurring mainly in the basal sandstone. 

AhsaroJca Mountain region. — In Shoshone Canyon on the western side of the 
district the entire succession of beds comprising the Deadwood formation is exposed. 
The limits of the formation here are well defined, but the thickness is somewhat 
diminished. At the top there is a thin-bedded limestone alternating with layers of 
green shale and flat-pebble conglomerate; below this occur sandstone and shale in 



S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 



PROFESSIONAL PAPER NO. 63 PL. 



Formation 



General Character 



East side 



West side 



Dark shale with 



1100-1200' 







Cherty limestone. 
White fine limestone. 
Red shale and sandston 






1 r 



230' 
150' 



Soft white limestone, thin bedded. 
Hard, massive, buff limestone with 
silica 5treal<s. 




nzE 



Slabby limestones with conglon 



Green shale with sandstone laye 



Brown sandstone 0-400 feet, ^^T^^^f^^^"^- 







Red and gray, with diabase and 
other dikes. 



COLUiVINAR SECTIONS 
EAST AND WEST SIDES BIGHORN BASIN 

By C. A, FISHER 



STRATIGRAPHY CAMBRIAN ROCKS. 11 

alternate succession, and at the base is a coarse conglomeratic sandstone about 50 
feet thick lying unconformably on the granite. The formation has a thickness of 
about 700 feet and is overlain by the massive limestones of the Bighorn formation. 
It is exposed also along the crest of Rattlesnake Mountain. 

Bighorn Mountain region. — The higher portion of the northern part of the Big- 
horn Mountain Range consists of sandstones and shales of the Deadwood formation. 
These rocks have a thickness of about 900 feet and, owing to the large amount of soft 
material, are weathered into long, gradual slopes. This feature is well illustrated in 
Bald Mountain, which rises as a huge, rounded mound about 800 feet above a floor of 
granite. Little Bald Mountain is similar in shape, but somewhat smaller. In Medi- 
cine, Duncom, and Hunt mountains there are long slopes of Deadwood shales capped 
by the harder Bighorn limestone. The Deadwood beds are also extensively exhibited 
in the valleys of Cedar and Shell creeks. While the total thickness of the formation 
is generally as much as 90G feet, it appears to be somewhat less than this about 
Medicine Mountain; but, on the other hand, it thickens locally to nearly 1,500 feet in 
the lower portion of Shell Creek Canyon. Owing mainly to its hardness the basal 
sandstone is in most places a prominent feature. It is a reddish rock, coarse grained, 
often conglomeratic at base, massively bedded and in part cross-bedded, with a 
thickness varying from 20 to 50 feet. It lies on a smooth surface of granite, planed 
by early Cambrian erosion. This smooth surface is noticeable around Bald Moun- 
tain, especially in places where the sandstone has been recently removed. In the 
vicinity of Fortunatus Mill and the old Bald Mountain settlement the basal Dead- 
wood conglomerates occupy the surface and are in places disintegrated into beds of 
bowlders and gravel which carry small values in free gold. In portions of the region 
about Bald Mountain the basal sandstone is a 4-foot layer of deep-red, coarse-grained, 
often pebbly sandstone. It is overlain by a 5-foot bed of red-brown conglomerate 
composed of quartz pebbles and from 5 to 10 feet of pale buff sandstone containing 
red streaks. In the region along Shell Creek the shales usually lie directlv on the 
granite. Some of the sandy layers of the formation contain a green, granular mineral 
(glauconite). Toward the top of the formation there is about 200 feet of limestone 
which breaks easily into slabs and is gray to pinkish in color. This contains layers of 
limestone conglomerate characteristic of the horizon. This rock consists of flat to 
subangular lirnestone pebbles intermingled with broken and distorted layers of lime- 
stone, with a matrix of fine limestone and shale material. Most of the pebbles are so 
thickly covered with grains of glauconite that they have a greenish color, but like the 
associated beds are gray or pinkish on freshl}^ broken surfaces. They are intra- 
formational conglomerates. 

On many of the steep slopes of the Deadwood formation there are extensive 
landslides which have on their surfaces large blocks of Bighorn limestone. These 
slides are caused by the softness of the Deadwood shale, which, when saturated with 
water, is unable to bear a heavy load. They occur along the canyons of Shell and 
Cedar creeks, in the Bighorn Mountains, as well as on both sides of Shoshone 
Canyon, in the region to the west. 

Owl Creela Mountain region. — The Deadwood formation outcrops in 3 small areas 
along the southern margin of the district in the vicinity of Anchor, but the beds here 
present no unusual features. 
11774— No. 53—06 ^'/ 



12 GEOLOGY AND WATER RESOURCES OF BIGHORN BASIN. 

ORDOVICIAN SYSTEM. 

BIGHORN LIMESTONE. 

General relations. — The Bighorn formation is one of the most prominent mem- 
bers of the great limestone series constituting the front ranges of the Bighorn, 
Absaroka, and Owl Creek mountains. It has a thickness of about 250 feet and out- 
crops everywhere in a prominent escarpment overlooking the softer shales of the 
Deadwood formation. Thy distribution of the formation is shown on the geologic 
map. It consists mainly of massive limestones, generally of light-gray to buff color, 
containing n, reticulating network of silica which causes the limestone on weathering 
to assume a pitted or honeycombed appearance. The formation does not contain a 
large number of fossils, but those which have been found are of late and early 
Ordovician age. 

Absaroka Mountain region. — The Bighorn limestone is exposed in all the deep 
canyons cut by the larger streams on the western side of the district in the front 
range of the Absaroka Mountains and on the west face of the higher portion of 
Rattlesnake Mountain. In Shoshone Canyon the formation is about 150 feet thick, 
presenting high, straight escarpments above the slopes of softer Deadwood shales on 
either side of Shoshone River. The limestone at this place has its usual massive 
character, but tho characteristic reticulation appearing on the weathered surfaces of 
the rock is not so pronounced. The upper portion of the formation consists of thin- 
bedded limestone. There is no notable unconformity between these and the lime- 
stones of the Madison formation. The Bighorn limestone outcrops in the canyons 
of Clark Fork and Pat O'Harra, Little Rocky, Bennett, and Line creeks in the region 
west of the area to which this report relates. Whether the beds lying immediately 
above the typical Bighorn limestone in Shoshone Canyon include sediments of 
Silurian and Devonian age was not ascertained, for no fossils were observed in them. 
In the Crandall quadrangle, northwest of the Bighorn area, the Jefferson and Three 
Forks limestones, described by Mr. Hague, lie between the Cambrian and Carbonif- 
erous rocks. The Jefferson limestone probably includes the Bighorn limestone, and 
possibly higher beds also. The Three Forks limestone is of Devonian age. 

Bighorn Mountain region. — In the northern portion of the Bighorn Mountains 
the Bighorn limestone is the most conspicuous sedimentary formation. Here also 
it is a hard, massivu limestone which outcrops in thick ledges lying on long slopes of 
Deadwood rocks. Its thickness averages 300 feet, including an upper portion of 
100 feet of soft, thin-bedded limestone, which is regarded as a part of the formation 
mainly because of its Ordovician age. The principal exposures of the Bighorn lime- 
stone form cliffs on the highur slopes of tlie mountains, capping some of the prominent 
ridges north of Bald Mountain and bordering the sides of the valleys of Shell, West 
Pass, and Porcupine creeks. In Hunt Mountain this limestone presents a high, 
straight escarpment facing the west, which can be seen far out in the Bighorn basin. 
The formation is cut by faults on either side of South Beaver Creek and for some 
distance north of Devil Canyon. In the mouths of the canyons of Cottonwood, 
Five Springs, and Horse creeks small exposures occur. 

The limestone constituting the greater part of the Bighorn formation is usually 
of light-buff color, weathering somewhat darker, and containing the coarse matted 



U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 



PROFESSIONAL PAPER NO. 63 PL. ' 




A. CHARACTERISTIC WEATHERING OF BIGHORN LIMESTONE AND UPPER PART OF MADISON LIMESTONE. 
North face of Shoshone Canyon. 




B. DIABASE DIKE CUTTING GRANITE. 



STRATIGRAPHY ORDOVICIAN ROCKS. 13 

network of irregular masses of silica referred to above. This and the massive bed- 
ding are characteristic of the limo stone throughout the Bighorn Range. Owing to 
the softness of the underlying Deadwood shale and the hard, massive nature of the 
Bighorn limestone, their exposure gives rise to high cliffs, having a talus of large 
blocks of limestone on the slopes below. In the canyons are close, high walls where 
streams cross the formation and high, vertical cliffs where the rock rises in the slopes. 
In its upper portion the formation consists of limestone that is softer and purer than 
that below ; the bedding is thinner, the color is a lighter gray, and the rock in part is 
very compact or fine grained. There is considerable variation in the local features of 
the formation, and the thickness varies from 75 to 100 feet. In many places the 
upper member includes a bed of hard, massive limestone, with a network of siliceous 
material similar to the lower member, but not so pronounced in character and only 
about 30 feet thick; some beds of shale and limestone are also included. At the top 
the formation is not easily separated from the Carboniferous limestone. While the 
total thickness of the Bighorn formation averages 300 feet, it appears to be more 
than this in the lower part of Shell Creek Canyon, where two beds of massive, siliceous 
limestone occur in the upper portion, separated by slabby limestones. This upper 
portion is here separated from the basal by white, fine-grained limestone. 

The greater part of the Bighorn limestone yields but few fossils. The lower 
massive member contains chiefly fragments of maclurinas and coral. In the lower 
portion of the upper limestone there is a horizon of corals consisting largely of 
Halysites catenulatus, while toward the top fossils of Richmond fauna occur in 
moderate numbers at localities to the east. The coral-bearing limestones underlie 
the higher massive bed of siliceous limestone, and the corals are often numeroiis and 
of large size. At a point east of Bald Mountain some beds of reddish shaly sandstone 
lie between the coral-bearing limestones and the great massive limestones below. 
Fossils were collected by Mr. Darton in the Bighorn limestone on top of Medicine 
Mountain from beds about 100 feet above the base ol the formation. The following 
are the forms from this locality, as determined by Mr. E. O. Ulrich: Streptelasma 
sp. undet. ; Protarea n. sp. (massive) ; Plectorthis plicatella ( ?) ; Dinortliis pectinellai'i) ; 
D. subquadrata{1) ; Khynchotrema capaxi"^) var. ; Oxydiscus, sp. undot.; Liospira, sp. 
undet.; Trochonema sp. undet. (near T. robhinsi); Holopea excelsa{1); and Huronia 
sp. undet. — a lower Galena-Trenton fauna as nearly as can be ascertained. From 
the upper beds of the formation, at a point about 3 miles east of Bald Mountain 
cabins, the following fossils were collected: Streptelasma n. sp. with trilobite calyx; 
Calapoecia sp. undet.; Favosites sp. undet.; Stromatocerium (?) n. sp.; Dalmanella 
testudinaria var. ; Leptaena unicoStata, and Khynchotrema capax. 

CARBONIFEROUS SYSTEM. 

MADISON FORMATION. 

General relations. — The Madison formation constitutes the greater part of tJie 
high, anticlinal front range of the Bighorn, Absaroka, and Owl Creek mountains. 
It has a total thickness varying from 600 to 1,000 feet, and consists mainly of massive 
gray Hmesione. In the upper part there is a pure limestone which weathers into 



14 GEOLOGY AND WATEE EESOURCES OF BIGHORN BASIN. 

castellated forms (see PI. VI, A). In the lower portion some of the beds are very 
sandy. The formation contains a Mississippian fauna. 

Absaroka Mountain region. — The Madison limestone is exposed in Shoshone 
Canyon, on the west side of th»3ighorn basin, and high on the slopes of Rattlesnake, 
Black, and Heart mountains. In Shoshone Canyon the formation consists of a 
lower member, a massive, dark-gray limestone containing thin-bedded layers, and an 
upper member which is a lighter gray and somewhat softer limestone. Its total 
thickness ranges from 600 to 700 feet, and it yields fossils in moderate abundance. 
At Heart Mountain about 400 feet of limestone are exposed in the side of an isolated 
knob which rises to an altitude of nearly 8,000 feet. A large-area is exposed on the 
higher slopes of Black Mountain, where it is deeply trenched by numerous small 
canyons. In the exposures on Clark Fork the formation consists of an upper and 
lower memb&rs, separated by thin-bedded limestones alternating with red shale. 

Biglwrn Mountain region. — Across the northeastern part of the basin, from near 
the mouth of Shell Creek to Lovell, extend a number of anticlines, the most con- 
spicuotis of which comprise Sheep and Little Sheep mountains. Bighorn River 
crosses both of these mountains, flowing through deep canyons. In these canyons 
and along the crests of the uplifts are exposures of Madison limestone. 

Along the west side of the Bighorn Mountains, from Trapper Creek to the upper 
end of Bighorn Canyon, the limestone rises in rugged slopes 1,000 to 2,000 feet in 
height. It is deeply trenched by many camions, of which the deepest are those of 
Shell and Horse creeks, where there are excellent exposures of all the beds. In the 
northeastern part of the district, between Bighorn River and the high mountain 
summits, the beds lie nearly horizontal in an area of approximately 40 square miles. 
Along Shell Creek the formation has been widely and deeply eroded and its edge 
rises in high cliffs on the southern side of the valley of that stream. From these cliffs 
a thick sheet of the limestone slopes gently down to the south and west, where it is 
deeply cut by White and Trapper creeks. The Madison limestone in this region 
consists gf the usual two members, the lower one a somewhat massively bedded lime- 
stone in part of dark-gray color, and the upper about 200 feet thick, of softer, purer, 
and more massive rock, which weathers into the characteristic pinnacled forms. 
The base of the formation is not distinct, and, although between this and the suc- 
ceeding Bighorn formation there is a hiatus representing Silurian and Devonian 
times, no unconformity is noticeable. 

On the northern side of Shell Creek Canyon the following fossils were collected by 
Mr. Darton from the middle of the Madison formation:. RTiipidomella michelini, 
Spirifer centronatus, Seminula Tiumilis, Eumetria verneuiliana, OrtJiotetes insequalis, 
SyringotJiyris carteri (?), and CamerotoechiaJierricJcana, constituting a Madison lime- 
stone fauna, of Mississippian age. 

Owl Creek Mountain region. — Exposures of Madison limestone occur along the 
northern side of the Owl Creek Mountains in the southwestern part of the district, 
but here the thickness is very much diminished, being represented by less than 600 
feet of beds. In other respects the formation shows no material change. 










MASSIVE BEDS OF MADISON LIMESTONE OVERLAIN BY SOFTER AMSDEN SHALES. 
Upper end of Shoshone Canyon above dam site. 







jgjfc t 'itiiij^MS^^^^t^^^^*^^''^'^*-^ A 












WBKK^^^^^^t'^^^^^^^^^^^^^^KfB^^. ^ 




mB^S^^m^^^^^^^^S^^^SSS^^^^^^BiS^^^^^^'^''***'^^^^^^^^^ 


L^^ 




^^g 


I 


Ijmhe^BmI^^^^^'^i^I*' '^^-'-^'-li^^^i^-Ng^ - ■ "• '-": "*^^'l^iy)!^^^^^M^HiH^^^l^HBI 


H 




pi 


I^BBI^^^f ! -' .. 'ir. ^?^.;.." ;-"•*--■ --^ ~-i^^^-^^-' 




^^■^^^^^^:*V., >;%..*r> * ■ •.,,•/*■•-•, 




■■HBK'"^>.ilA'*.*' ' . '->..-.• ' ... - - 




B' '■ ■' •^-^■#-'^--* 




^^K "'"^V :.^'*C-^^' 




BH^^ ^ __^_^ ^-l '.tJ^RiLii/- _ ." ^ ;^ 


_ '^'-j^ 



i'. TYPICAL AMSDEN FORMATIO^ 
V\^estern slope of Bighorn Mountains. 



STRATIGRAPHY CARBONIFEROUS ROCKS. 15 

AMSDEN FORMATION. 

General relations. — Overlying the Madison limestone and generally extending 
far up the outer slopes of the mountains, are limestones, shales, and cherts, constitut- 
ing the Amsden formation. This has an average thickness of 150 feet; its lower 
portion consists of bright-red shale, 60 to 80 feet thick, often containing layers of 
limestone, and its upper portion of a thin-bedded sandy limestone, in part containing 
extensive deposits of chert. Fossils are not abundant, but some that have been 
collected by Mr. Darton from upper beds on the eastern side of the district are of 
Peimsylvanian age. 

AhsaroTca Mountain region. — The Amsden outcrop extends nearly halfway 
across the district along the front range of the Absaroka Mountains. It occupies a 
wide area on the higher slopes of the Rattlesnake and Cedar Mountain Range. In 
the vicinity of Black Mountain the dips are steep and the formation does not extend 
far up the slopes, but farther north and west, in the low, sloping plateau, it is exten- 
sively exposed. On the south side of Clark Fork Canyon, where the beds dip steeply, 
the formation is composed of a basal member of red sandy shale 75 feet thick, overlain 
by a series of alternating beds of gray sandstone, chert, and fine-grained slabby 
limestone. 

In Shoshone Canyon (PI. VII, A) the formation contains the usual red sandy layer 
at the base, followed in ascending order by harder beds of sandstone, quartzite, lime- 
stone, and chert. The following section was measured on the northern side of 
Shoshone Canyon : 

Section of Amsden formation on north side of Shoshone Canyon, Wyoming. 

Feet. 

Tensleep sandstone 

Gray compact limestone 20 

Dark-red sandstone, very hard 3 

Light-gray limestone, very compact, containing layers of chert 20 

Alternating layers of light-colored limestone and deep-red sandy shale 20 

Red sandy shale containing few sandstone layers 60 

Madison limestone. 

123 

Bighorn Mountain region. — On the eastern side of the basin the Amsden forma- 
tion is about 200 feet thick. Where the dips are steep the outcrop zone is narrow, 
but, in other places, as on the sloping plateaus on both sides of Horse Creek, it is 
broader and extends nearly to the main divide. From Cottonwood Creek northward 
it underlies a number of plateaus, forming wide benches on the mountain slopes, but 
here it is largely covered by later formations. It is deeply dissected by Devil Canyon 
and the valleys of Deer and Trout creeks. The lower member of the Amsden forma- 
tion consists of the usual bright-red sandy shale overlying the Madison limestone, 
which last is often deeply stained by the red shales. In the basal shale of the Amsden 
there is a fine-grained, light-colored limestone about 10 feet thick, and above the 
shale are sandy limestones, containing in places extensive deposits of chert, which 
weather out and accumulate on the surface (PI. VII, B). The thickness of the 



16 GEOLOGY AND WATEB RESOURCES OP BIGHORN BASIN. 

formation averages 200 feet, but is much less than this in some locahties. At Shell 
Creek Canyon the following section was measured : 

Section of Am sden formation on Shell CreeTc east of Shell, Wyo. 

Feet. 

Pinli sandstone overlain b)' flesh-colored massive sandstone of Tensleep formation 4 

Light-red to maroon sandy shales. 40 

Gray sandy limestones, thin-bedded at top and containing much chert 20 

Ked shale. '. 75 

Hard, fine-grained, flesh-colored limestone 10 

Red shale lying on blue-gray Madison limestone , 25 

174 

Near the base of the formation in this locality there are some very peculiar 
concretions, composed of masses of silica, suggesting a coral in appearance. They 
vary in diameter from 6 inches to 2 feet. 

Owl Creek Mountain region. — The Amsden formation is exposed on the northern 
slopes of the Owl Creek Mountains in the southwestern part of the district, where it 
exhibits the usual stratigraphic sequence. The thickness here is about 200 feet and 
the shales at the base have the characteristic bright-red color. 

TENSLEEP SANDSTONE. 

General relations. — The Tensleep sandstone, which overlies the Amsden forma- 
tion, is prominent among the formations flanking the front range of the Bighorn, 
Absaroka, and Owl Creek mountains. It is also exposed in the Sheep Mountain 
uplift, on the eastern side of the basin, and in the high anticline southeast of Hyatt- 
ville. Its thickness varies from 30 to 230 feet. The formation is composed of 
massive, cross-bedded sandstone alternating with beds of limestone. 

AbsaroJca Mountain region. — The formation is extensively exposed on the slopes 
of Rattlesnake and Cedar mountains. It outcrops along the base of Black Mountain 
and extends far up the slopes of the inclined plateau to the north. From the vicinity 
of Clark Fork Canyon to the Montana line it appears in a narrow zone. In the 
region of Rattlesnake Mountain the sandstone is a massive, cross-bedded, light- 
colored rock, 150 feet thick, the upper portion of which is sometimes quartzitic. On 
the northern side of Shoshone Canyon, a short distance above its mouth, a section of 
the Tensleep sandstone, including the overlying limestones, was measured. 

BigTiorn Mountain region. — Along the base of the Bighorn Mountains, on the 
east side of the basin, the Tensleep sandstone usually gives rise to a ridge of moderate 
prominence on the lower slopes. The formation is only about 30 feet thick in the 
northern part oi the area, but its thickness increases rapidly southward, and in 
Horse Creek Canypn is 150 feet. Generally the thickness varies from 100 to 125 
feet. Small outliers of the formation lie high on the divide on both sides of Bear 
Creek; also along the road east of Cloverly, on the divide north of the mouth of 
Shell Creek Canyon and on the divide south of White Creek. The predominant 
rock is white to buff sandstone, in thick massive beds, which are cross-bedded and 
often weathered into very irregular forms (PI. VIII, A, B). Where the formation 



U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 



PROFESSIONAL PAPER NO. 53 PL. 









TENSLEEP SANDSTONE. 
A. Western slope of Bighorn Mountains. B. No Wood Canyon, Bighorn basin, Wyoming. 



STRATIGEAPHY — CARBONIFEEOUS ROCKS. 17 

is thick, the basal member usually consists of 50 feet or more of soft buff sandstone 
not clearly separable from the underlying Amsden formation, which usually occurs 
in thinner beds. The upper sandstone frequently contains a few thin limestone 
layers, which in other districts in the Bighorn Mountains have yielded Pennsylvanian 
fossils. 

Owl Creek Mountain region. — To the southward the Tensleep sandstone is 
exposed only in a few small areas within the district considered in this paper. The 
beds in these localities exhibit no unusual features. 

EMBAR FORMATION. 

General relations. — Overlying the Tensleep formation, on the slopes of the Owl 
Creek Mountains, are massive limestone and cherts, to which Mr. N. H. Darton has 
applied the name Embar formation, from Embar post-office, at which the beds are 
typically developed. The formation has a thickness of between 200 and 250 feet, 
and usually gives rise to long dip slopes. It is widely exposed all along the northern 
side of the Owl Creek Mountains, and in the vicinity of Thermopolis extends far up 
l^e slopes. Where the formation is typical, the basal member usually consists of 
50 feet or more of alternating layers of light-buff limestone and sandstone. Above 
this there is a dark-gray fossiliferous sandstone 4 to 6 feet thick, overlain by about 
90 feet of cherty limestone. Next above there is 30 to 50 feet of limestone, massive 
in character, capped by about 50 feet of compact sandstone, merging in color from a 
gray at the top to a brownish-gray or yellowish near the base. In the vicinity of 
Anchor the top member of the formation is 20 feet thick, resting on the massive 
limestone. The formation is extensively exposed throughout the Owl Creek uplift, 
but only a few small areas occur within the southern part of the district to which 
this report relates. They are found generallj^ on anticlinal ridges branching from the 
main uplift. One of these occurs east of Anchor, where it is crossed by South Fork 
of Owl Creek, in a deep gorge, and another is southeast of Embar. The formation 
also appears in the more elevated portion of the anticline which passes through 
Thermopolis. 

Large numbers of fossils occur in the Embar limestone in the walls of Bighorn 
Canyon south of Thermopolis. A collection was made at this locality by Mr. N. H. 
Darton, from which one mollusk has been identified by Dr. G. H. Girty as Spiriferina 
pulchra. This form is believed to characterize a horizon just below the so-called 
Permo-Carboniferous of the Wasatch Mountain region. 

Rattlesnake and Cedar mountains. — On the flanks of Rattlesnake and Cedar 
mountains, immediately overlying the Tensleep sandstone, there is exposed a 
succession of limestone, chert, and sandstone about 80 feet thick, which is believed 
to be the equivalent of the Embar formation. A section of these beds on the 
northern side of Shoshone Canyon is as follows : 

Section of Embar formation in Shoshone Canyon, Wyoming. 
Chugwater formation. Feet. 

Gray compact fossiliferoas limestone 15 

Alternating layers of cherty limestone and sandstone 65 



18 GEOLOGY AND WATER RESOUECES OF BIGHORN BASIN. 

The top limestone of this formation contains fossils which are believed to be of 
Pennsylvanian age. The fossils collected from the limestone at the head of a small 
tributary of Sulphur Creek, on the eastern side of Cedar Mountain, have been 
identified by Doctor Girty as follows : 

Fossils from east side of Cedar M^hintain, Wyoming. 

Fenestella ( ?) sp. Fragments of pelecypods. . 

Orthothetes n. sp. Laevidentalium canna. 

From the same horizon, on the western end of a prominent red hill on the 
southern side of Trail Creek, the following fossils were collected : • 

Fossils from Trail Creek, Wyoming. 

Enchostoma n. sp. Nucula (?) sp. 

Myalina ( 'i) sp. Fragments of pelecypods. 

Myalina cf . M.. perattenuata. Laevidentalium canna. 
Leda sp. 

TRIASSIC SYSTEM. (?) 

CHUGWATEK FORMATION. 

General relations. — The Chugwater formation, which comprises the red beds 
of the northern Front Range of the Rocky Mountains, is extensively exposed through- 
out the Bighorn basin. The formation varies in thickness from 600 to 800 feet, and 
consists mainly of soft, massive, red sandstones with layers of gypsum and limestone. 
In different parts of the basin it shows considerable variation in character. Along 
the eastern side of the area there are generally two limestone beds, near the base, 
which are underlain by about 100 feet of red sandy shale, containing deposits of 
gypsum. The upper limestone is overlain by several hundred feet of soft red sand- 
stone, usually outcropping in a line of prominent cliffs (PI. IX, A, B). Above these 
sandstones there are about 100 feet of red sandy shale, which contains a layer of 
hard, thin-bedded, light-colored limestone at or near its base. Higher up are some 
beds of gypsum and at the top several layers of thin-bedded white limestone. Along 
the Absaroka front range, in the western part of the area, the formation presents a 
somewhat different stratigraphic succession. The basal member, about 30 feet thick, 
consists mainly of beds of light-gray, thin-bedded sandstone alternating with layers 
of limestone, the whole resting with apparent conformity on the massive limestones 
that comprise the upper part of the Tensleep formation. This member is overlain 
by 500 to 600 feet of soft, massive, red sandstones, capped by 20 to 30 feet of white 
gypsum. Above the gypsum there is a 12-foot layer of red sandy shale containing 
thin seams of gypsum which comprise the uppermost member of the formation. 

Distribution. — The Chugwater formation occurs in extensive outcrops, especially 
along the eastern side of the basin. From the southern margin of the district to 
beyond Shell the outcrop has an average width of about 4 miles. Between Horse 
Creek Canyon and Cottonwood Creek, where there are steep dips, it occurs in a 
narrow zone along the base of the mountains. From Cottonwood Creek to the 



PROFESSIONAL PAPER NO. 53 PL. 





STRATIGRAPHY TRIASSIC ROCKS. 19 

Montana line the dips decrease and the outcrop spreads out over a wide area, in 
which the formation caps several small plateaus and extends eastward far up the 
slopes of the mountains. The Sheep Mountain uplift exposes about 80 square miles 
of red beds on either side of Bighorn River from near the mouth of Shell Creek to the 
vicinity of Lovell. Along the western side of the basin the zone of outcrop is gen- 
erally narrow, but it is present on both sides of Rattlesnake and Cedar mountains 
and along the base of the Absaroka and Beartooth ranges. In the southern part of 
the district the Chugwater red beds occupy an extensive area in the central part of 
the Thermopolis anticline and an area of equal size between Embar and Anchor. 

Local stratigraphy. — Though the Chugwater formation is generally well exposed, 
it is often difficult to obtain a complete section at one locality. The following 
measurements of the lower part of the formation were obtained on Shell Creek east 
of Shell, Wyo.: 

Section of lower part of Chugwater formation east of Shell, Wyo. 

Feet. 

Limestone, weathering porous, lying beneath about 600 feet of red shale and sandstone 4 

Red shale - : 25 

Thin-bedded purplish limestone 6 

Red shale - - . - - _ - 25 

Gypsum 12 

Purplish sandy shale 4 

Red shale resting on 75 feet of Tensleep sandstone 20 



In Red Gulch, east of Cloverly, the lower members of the Chugwater formation 
are as follows : 

Section of lower part of Chugwater formation in Red Gulch, Wyoming. 

Feet. 

Limestone, weathering porous, overlain by about 500 feet of red shales and sandstone 20 

Green shale 15 

Limestone, weathering porous 6 

Green shale 10 

Limestone, weathering porous 4 

Red shale - 35 

Thin-bedded purplish limestone 10 

Red shale with gypsum on Tensleep sandstone 125 

225 

At the mouth of Crooked Creek the lower beds of the Chugwater formation are 
as follows : 

Section of lower part of Chugwater formation on CrooJced Creek, Wyoming. 

Feet. 

Alternating layers of white compact limestone and gray limestone, weathering porous 30 

Red and green clays 2 

Alternating layers of light-gray limestone and green clay 8 

Red sandy shale, green near top 35 

Gray limestone \ 

Gray sandstone 1 

Dark-red sandy shale on Tensleep sandstone 6 

82§ 



20 GEOLOGY AND WATER BBSOUECES OP BIGHORN BASIN. 

Near Alkali Creek, northwest of Cloverly, Wyo., a complete section of the Chug- 
water formation was measured : 

Section of Chugwater formation northwest of Cloverly, Wyo. 

Feet. 

Dark-red shales overlain by gray shales containing Jurassic fossils 60 

White limestone with red shale partings 10 

Red shale 20 

Thin-bedded, fine-grained light-colored limestone 10 

Red shale 60 

Red sandy shale 50 

Red sandstones, some red shale 224-!- 

Green shale 20 

Massive limestone, weathering porous 50 

Red shale, not well exposed 40 ° 

Thin-bedded pui-plish limestone. 6 

Red shale, not well exposed, resting on 



On the south side of Clark Fork Canyon, in the northwestern portion of the area, 
the formation has a thickness of about 750 feet. Here the limestone members appear 
to be absent, with the exception of a few thin layers at the base. The order of the 
beds is as follows : 

Section of Chugwater formation on the south side ofClarlc ForJc Canyon, Wyoming. 

Feet. 

White massive gypsum overlain by Sundance beds 25 

Soft, red, massive sandstone containing layers of gypsum 725 

Greenish sandy shale containing thin limestone layers on Tensleep sandstone lO-f- 

760 

About 6 miles northwest of Thermopolis, on the north side of Owl Creek, the 
following section of Chugwater formation was taken : 

Section of Chugwater formation near Watson's ranch on Emhar road jv^t north of Owl Creek, Wyoming. 

Feet. 

Red beds with an occasional greenish sandy layer 210 

Gray massive sandstone 40 

Red beds 20 

Gray massive sandstone 10 

Red shale with few sandstone layers 120 

Gray, thin-bedded, porous limestone intercalated with red shale 35 

Alternating layers of drab fissile limestone and red thin-bedded shale 35 

Deep maroon shale with spongy, angular, calcite concretions 9 

479 



STRATIGRAPHY TRIASSIC AND JURASSIC ROCKS. 21 

Age of the formation. — The age of the Chugwater formation is not definitely 
known. Along the western side of the basin no fossils have been observed in the 
beds, and those that have been collected farther east, from the limestones in the 
lower part, do not furnish satisfactory evidence. The forms are not sufficiently 
complete or distinctive to be classed as Permian or Triassic. On Beaver Creek, 
northeast of Cleverly, the basal limestones contain pelecypod shells in great abun- 
dance, but they are generally too much deformed by compression to be determined. 
They resemble the genus Schizodus of the Carboniferous, one specimen being similar 
to S. wTieeleri and another similar to S. symmetricus. The shells were diminutive, 
and it is possible that they are some other genus of Mesozoic age. A few fossils 
were obtained near Kane, but they are so small and so poorly preserved that it 
is not possible to determine their generic characters or relations. One shell, accord- 
ing to Doctor Girty, closely resembles Myalina swallowi of the Upper Carboniferous, 
but this fossil may possibly be a Pteria or Bakewellia or a Mesozoic Mytilus or 
Modiola. Another species suggested, by its form, Astartella, possibly A. gurleyi. 
All these suggestions are based on features which might also be interpreted as those 
of Mesozoic forms, but Doctor Girty and Mr. Schuchert are inclined to believe that 
they are Permian. As to the age of the overlying red sandstones of the Chugwater 
formation, there is no definite information; they may belong to the Permian or 
they may represent deposits of Triassic times. 

JURASSIC SYSTEM. 

SUNDANCE FORMATION. 

General relations. — The marine Jurassic deposits of the Bighorn Mountains, 
to which the Black Hills name, Sundance, has been applied by Mr. Darton, reach 
a considerable thickness and carry an abundant fauna in the Bighorn basin area. 
The formation retains a moderately uniform thickness throughout the district, 
but shows variation in stratigraphy. It consists of sandstone, limestone, and shales. 
The shales usually predominate and have a greenish-gray color. 

The formation generally outcrops in a narrow zone flanking the base of tha 
uplifts on the eastern, western, and southern sides, but along Shell and Trapper 
creeks, on the eastern side of Bighorn River from Bear Creek to beyond Alkali 
Creek, on each side of Crooked Creek, and at the southern end of Rattlesnake 
Mountain, owing to low dips, the outcrop widens greatly. In the southeastern 
part of the district, from Hyattville to Redbanks, the zone of outcrop averages 
a mile in width. 

AhsaroTca Mountain region. — Along the base of the Absaroka and Beartooth 
mountains the Sundance formation has a thickness of about 350 feet. Its base 
comprises a succession of light-gray to white thin-bedded limestone alternating 
with red and green sandy shale, having a total thickness of about 65 feet. Next 
above are 50 to 70 feet of dark-red sandy shale, overlain by about 150 feet of greenish 
fossiliferous shale containing layers of massive gray sandstone. Above this member, 
at the top of the formation, is a greenish, sandy shale with at least two and some- 
times more layers of dark greenish-gray, fossiliferous sandstone. The following 



22 GEOLOGY AND WATER RESOURCES OF BIGHORN BASIN. 

section of the Sundance formation was measured on Trail Creek, 8 miles northwest 
of Cody, Wyo.: 

Section of Sundance formation on Trail Creek, Wyoming. 
Morrison shales. Teet. Samples. 

Massive gray sandstone 6 

Gray sandstone, fossiliferous 1 1 

Soft, gray sandstone _ 6 

Hard, gray sandstone, very fossiliferous 1 2 

Greenish sandy shale 30 

Hard, thin-bedded, gray sandstone, containing fossils in upper part 6 3 

Dark-gray limestone, fossiliferous 1 4 

Greenish sandy shale ; belemnites throughout 50 5 

Greenish-gray massive sandstone '. 4 

Gray calcareous sandstone 6 6 

Light-green shale, fossiliferous 6 7 

Dark-green sandy shale 20 

Green sandy shale, containing fossils _ 60 8 

Greenish gray sandy shale, capped by a layer of fossiliferous limestone 6 9 

Red sandy shale, containing a thin band of oolitic fossiliferous limestone 2 10 

Compact gray limestone 1 

Alternating layers of red and gray sandy shale, containing thin layers of gypsum 50 

Gypsum 1 

Gray thin-bedded 'limestone, weathering white 1 

Gypsum, containing layers of red shale near top 6 

Green shale, capped by a thin layer of fossiliferous limestone 2J 11 

Gypsum , SJ 

Compact gray limestone, oolitic, fossiliferous 1§ 12 

Green shale with banas of oolitic limestone 2 

Green shale 4 

Thin-bedded, gray limestone 1 

Green shale ^ 1 

Gypsum 4 

Green sandy shale, capped by a thin layer of dark-gray limestone 12 

Gray thin-bedded limestone, fossiliferous 3 13 

Green sandy shale with a fossiliferous limestone layer at base 2^ 14 

Green sandy shale, containing red layers 3 

Alternating layers of green shale and white gypsum 4 . 

Dark-green fissile shale 5 

Thin-bedded, light-colored limestone, fossiliferous 1 J 15 

Alternating layers of red and green shale 1§ 

Dark rust-colored limestone, fossiliferous 16 

Alternating layers of red and green sandy shale 1 J 

Gray limestone, containing fossils 17 

Green shale, containing thin layers of light-gray limestone resting on Chugwater 3^ 

322 

The fossils from this locality have been examined by Mr. T. W. Stanton, and 

his report is here given. "The marine Jurassic fossils from Trail Creek, collected 
from many beds in a local section, all belong to one fauna, which is the same that 

occurs in Yellowstone National Park and the Black Hills." The fossils are listed 
below : 



STRATIGRAPHY — JURASSIC ROCKS. 23 

Fossils from Sundance formation on Trail Creek, Wyoming. 

Lot 1. Pentacrinus asteriscus M. & H. Lot 11. Nerinea sp. 

Ostrea. Neritina (?) sp. 

Eumicrotis curta Hall. Two to three undetermined bivalves. 

Lot 2. Ostrea sp. ' Lot 12. Modiola sp. 

Pleuronya (?) sp. cf. P. subellipticus M. & H. Cyprina (?) sp. 

Belemnites densus M. & H. Lot 13. Trigonia americana Meek. 

Lot 3. Ostrea sp. Trigonia montanaensis Meek. 

Belemnites densus M. & H. Trigonia conradi M. & H. 

Lot 4. Camptonectes. Astarte sp. 

Ostrea. 

Belemnites densus M. & H. Undetermined small bivalves. 

Lot 5. Ostrea. Lot 14. Modiola sp. cf. M. pertenuis M. & H. 

Camptonectes bellistriatus. Lot 15. Modiola sp. 

Belemnites. Trigonia conradi M. & H. 

Lot 6. Ostrea sp. Trigonia elegantissima Meek. 

Eumicrotis curta Hall. Nucula sp. 

Lot 7. Belemnites densus M. & H. Several undetermined bivalves. 

Lot 8. Pentacrinus asteriscus M. & H. Lot 16. Ostrea strigilcula White. 

Serpula sp. Modiola sp. 

Gryphsea calceola var. nebrascensis M. & H. Camptonectes. 

Lot 9. Pentacrinus asteriscus M. & H. Several undetermined small bivalves. 

Ostrea strigilcula White. Lot 17. Gryphsea calceola var. nebrascensis M. & H. 

Camptonectes sp. Trigonia elegantissima Meek. Abundant. 

Lyosoma powelli White Astarte meeki Stanton. 

Lot 10. Oolite; no determinable fossils. Tancredia sp. 

Modiola sp. 

Bighorn Mountain region. — In the vicinity of the Bighorn and Sheep Mountain 
uphfts the Sundance formation is of variable constitution, changing so often that 
no two sections are closely alike. Soft greenish-gray sandstones predominate in 
its lower portion, and there is the usual thick mass of green shales above. Several 
hard sandstone and impure limestone layers occur at intervals, outcropping as 
prominent ledges, which generally are highly fossiliferous. Some typical sections 
follow: 

Section of Sundance formation on ivest side of mouth of Trapper CreeJc, south of Shell, Wyo. 

Feet. 

Alternating brown sandstone and green shale 20 

Dark-brown fossiliferous sandstone, hard, thin-bedded 12 

Dark-green fossiliferous shale with thin-bedded sandstone at base 115 

Light-green sandy shale 50 

Light-colored sandy clay 3 

Dark-maroon sandy clay 2 

Green sandy shale with numerous small oysters 20 

Gray sandstone 1 

Green shale on red beds 20 

243 



24 GEOLOGY AND WATER EESOURCES OF BIGHORN BASIN. 

Section of Sundance formation on Alkali CreeTc, Wyoming. 
Morrison. Peet. 

Green shale 25 

Green thin-bedded sandstone _ 5 

Brown fossiliferous sandstone 6 

Green shele with belemnites and oysters 115 

Thin-bedded gray limestone 16 

Green shale on red beds 75 

242 
Section of Sundance formation on Horse CreeTc, 5 miles north of Sliell, Wyo. 

Morrison shales. Peet. 

Brown sandstone, hard at base, soft at top, very fossiliferous 25 

Soft greenish-brown sandstone 25 

Green shale, many fossils, belemnites at base, large oysters above SO 

Dark-brown and light-gray sandstones alternating, no fossils 20 

Light-gray sandstone 25 

Green shales, very fossiliferous 38 

Brown sandstone, fossiliferous 1| 

Light-brown sandstone, fossiliferous 2 

Green shale, fossiliferous, on maroon shale of Chugwater 12 

198^ 

The fossils collected at this last locality have been examined by Mr. T. W. 
Stanton, who reports the following forms: 

Fossils from Sundance formation, Horse CreeTc, Wyoming. 

Lots 1-2. Ostrea strigilecula White. Lot 5. Ostrea engelmanni Meek. , 

Lot 3. Dosinia jurassica Whitfield? Belemnites densus M. & H. 

Lot 4. Gryphaea calceola var. nebrascensis M. & H. Lots 6-7. Ostrea sp. 

Eumicrotis curta Hall. 

In the southern part of the district, along the base of the Owl Creek Mountains, 
the formation has a thickness of about 194 feet. A section taken on Owl Creek 
near Watson's ranch is given below: 

Section of Sundance formation near Watson's rancTi on Embar road just north, of Owl CreeTc, Wyoming. 

Feet. 

Green sandy shale 2 

Fine-grained, hard, buff limestone. This limestone breaks at right angles to the bedding plane in a smgular 

way, so as to give the ledge the appearance of being frost-cracked or minutely spalled 2 

Thin-bedded greenish-gray sandstone 4 

Green sandy shale 20 

Alternating layers of greenish-gray sandstone and soft greenish sands 30 

Green sandy clay with many belemnites and a few oysters 40 

Gray calcareous sandstone 2 

Green sandy clay 20 

Gray sandstone 4 

Alternating layers of green, soft, sandy shales and hard, greenish fossiliferous sandstone 70 

194 



STRATIGRAPHY. 25 

CRETACEOUS SYSTEM. 
MOERISON FORMATION. 

General relations. — The Morrison formation is extensively developed along the 
eastern, western, and southern sides of the Bighorn basin and shows considerable 
change in character throughout the area. It is composed of soft sandy shales and 
clays alternating with layers of massive sandstones, all of fresh-water origin. The 
clays have the characteristic joint-clay structure, and the sandstones are fine- 
grained. The prevailing color is pale green with shades of red, maroon; and purple, 
and in the upper part of the formation the clays are very dark. The thickness varies 
from 130 to 382 feet. The formation is generally exposed in a narrow band on the 
inner rim of a low ridge formed by the harder overlying sandstones of the Cloverly. 
Along the base of the Bighorn Mountains, from the Montana line southward nearly 
to the head of Beaver Creek, the dips are steep, and the outcrop is relatively narrow, 
but south of Beaver Creek, owing to decreased dips, it is much wider. Around the 
Sheep Mountain uplift the outcrop zone is generally narrow. Farther west, on 
both sides of Rattlesnake Mountain and along the front of the Absaroka and Bear- 
tooth ranges, the outcrop rarely exceeds one-fourth mile in width. 

Absaroka and Owl Creelc mountain region. — Along the western side of the basin 
the Morrison formation is about 150 feet thick. It consists of alternating layers 
of gray fine-grained sandstone and dark-gray sandy shale. Near the base there is 
often a thin bed of gray limestone. In one locality near the southern end of the 
Cedar Mountain anticline a deposit of gypsum 8 feet thick was observed near the 
top of the formation. Three typical sections along the western and southern sides 
of the Bighorn basin are as follows: 

Section of Morrison formation on Trail Creek, northwest of Cody, Wyo. 

Cloverly formation. Feet. 

Green, sandy shales alternating with green clay containing thin layers of gray limestone throughout 100 

Massive, fine-grained, gray sandstone lying on Sundance formation _ 30 

130 

Generalized section of Morrison formation south ofClarTc Fork Canyon, Wyoming. 

Cloverly formation. Feet. 

Massive greenish-gray sandstone _ 80 

Greenish clay 60 

Dark-gray limestone 1 

Dark-gray sandy shale lying on Sundance formation ■■ 20 

161 

Section of Morrison formation near Watson's ranch on Ernbar road just north of Owl Creek, Wyoming. 

Feet. 

Massive gray sandstone 10 

Concealed material, evidently soft and sandy 125 

135 



26 GEOLOGY AND WATER RESOURCES OF BIGHORN BASIN. 

Bighorn Mountmn region. — In the Bighorn Mountain region the Morrison forma- 
tion consists of clay,, fine sandstone, and sandy shale. The colors of the shale vary 
from gray and greenish-gray to maroon and purple, with some dark layers, especially 
toward the top. The sandstones are mostly of light-gray color and often contain 
large fossil saurian bones. South of^ Shell and, southeast of Cloverly there is a 
massive light-colored sandstone near the base. South of Shell this bed is 20 feet 
thick and moderately hard, and is separated from the Sundance formation by red- 
dish shale and overlain by. massive, greenish, sandy clay. Southeast of Shell the 
sandstone is of light-buff color, is 40 feet thick, moderately coarse grained, and 
has lenses of conglomerate near the top. In places the sandstone is bright red, 
resembling some of the sandy members of the Cloverly formation. A typical 
section of the formation on Alkali Creek follows: 

Section of Morrison formation on Alkali Creek, Wyoming. 

Feet. 

Pale-green massive shale overlain by Cloverly sandstone .' 50 

Thin-bedded gray sandstone, brown on surface . . 15 

Pale-green massive shale 5 

Blue-black shale 10 

Maroon massive shale 10 

Variegated massive shale _ 45 

Thin-bedded gray sandstone 6 

Variegated massive shale, drab, purple, and maroon. . _ 65 

Pale-green to white sandstone ■. 6 

Pale-green and maroon massive shale 85 

Pale-green massive sandstone 45 

Red sandy shale lying on Sundance formation 40 



CLOVERLY FORMATION. 

General relations. — Overlying the Morrison formation in this region are sand- 
stones for which Mr. Darton has proposed the name Cloverly formation, from the 
extensive exposures in the vicinity of Cloverly. The formation consists of alternat- 
ing layers of sandstone and sandy clays, which are generally highly colored; buff, 
light green, maroon, and bright red prevail. The materials comprising the forma- 
tion are very changeable. In places the sandstones are locally hard and have 
resisted erosion so as to stand out in typical hogback ridges; in other localities 
the entire succession is so soft that it weathers in low slopes and can be traced 
only by the bright colors which some of the members exhibit. In some localities 
it is possible to recognize a basal coarse-grained sandstone lying unconformably 
upon the Morrison shales, not unlike the Lakota sandstone of the Black Hills region, 
and above this a highly colored shale, overlain in turn by a massive sandstone 
resembling the Dakota. The basal sandstone of the succession is often very coarse- 
grained and pebbly and is very different in character from the underlying fine- 
grained sediments of the upper part of the Morrison formation. Frequently the 
contact between the formations is marked by an unconformity showing distinct 
channeling. 

The sandstone of the Cloverly formation is from 10 to 50 feet thick, and the 
thickness of the formation varies from 100 to 300 feet. Coaly shale and coal some- 



STRATIGEAPHY CRETACEOUS BOOKS. 27 

times occur associated with the basal sandstones. The area of Cloverly outcrop 
in the district is about equivalent to that of the underlying Morrison formation. 

AisaroTca Mountain region. — West of Rattlesnake and Cedar mountains the 
dips are steep and the Cloverly formation outcrops as a very narrow zone, rarely 
exceeding one-eighth mile in width. Along the eastern side of Rattlesnake Moun- 
tain it caps the prominent ridge between Trail and Dry creeks, and at the southern 
end of this ridge it extends across a saddle, through which Dry Creek passes, and 
joins the area exposed by the low anticline on Cottonwood Creek. Along the base 
of the Absaroka Range the Cloverly formation occupies a narrow but continuous 
zone, extending from Black Mountain to the Montana line. In the vicinity of 
Clark Fork Canyon its thickness is about 300 feet. 

South of Cody the Cloverly formation consists of a basal coarse-grained sand- 
stone, often pebbly, about 50 feet thick. It is overlain by softer gray sandstones 
of undetermined thickness. ' Above this occurs a layer of highly colored clay, 
which contains near the middle a band of dark shale. Overlying the clay is a 
top sandstone member, which is succeeded by the rust-colored sandstone of the 
base of the Colorado formation. 

Bighorn Mountain region. — Along the base of the Bighorn and Pryor mountains 
and around the rim of the Sheep Mountain uplift the outcrop of the Cloverly is 
generally narrow, but widens somewhat on the high ridge east of Frannie, along 
the upper part of Alkali Creek and in the vicinity of Cloverly. South of Shell 
Creek the formation rises with the upward pitch of the S3mcline southwest of Shell 
and outcrops in an irregular zone extending east and west for several miles. In 
the anticline east of Sheldon's ranch it appears on the northern side of Shell Creek 
for a short distance, pitching down to the north under the basal shales of the Colo- 
rado formation. Along the foot of the mountain north of Cloverl}^ it dips steeply 
for some distance, but on Alkali Creek and about Cloverly and farther south it 
dips verj^ gently to the west. In the lower portion of Beaver Creek Valley the rocks 
are covered by alluvium, except for a small sandstone outcrop on the eastern 
side near the mouth of the creek. There are extensive and characteristic exposures 
in the vicinity of Cloverl}'', the type locality. Here the rocks are usually gva,j to 
buff sandstone below and massive shale or hard sandy clay above, their thickness 
varying from 50 to 150 feet. East and north of Cloverly the formation consists 
of sandstone which outcrops extensively in cliffs. It is a buff-colored rock in massive 
beds, mostly of moderately coarse-grained material. It is here 50 to 125 feet thick. 
West of Cloverly the middle and lower portions of this sandstone change to a maroon 
color, and some clay is intermixed with the sand. 

Section of Cloverly formation 1'^ miles west of Cloverly , Wyo. 

Feet. 

Light-buff sandstone overlain by Colorado formation 10 

Tan-colored sandstone 10 

Maroon clay 4 

Reddish, tan-colored sandy clay _ 10 

Drab sandy clay ^ 10 

Deep-maroon sandy clay _ . . 20 

Hard, tan-colored sandstone 3 

Deep-maroon to purple variegated clay 12 

11774— No. 53—06 3 



28 GEOLOGY AND WATER RESOURCES OF BIGHORN BASIN. 

Feet. 

Lenses of maroon sandstone 3 

Deep-maroon sandy clay 20 

Olive-green, soft, cross-bedded sandstone, with hard layers lying on maroon and drab-gray Morrison 
shale 10 

122 

Owl Creek Mountain region. — Along the base of the Owl Creek Mountains the 
Cloverly formation is extensively exposed, and a small outcrop oGCurs at the base of 
the Shoshone Mountains on Gooseberry Creek near the southern end of a small 
anticline east of Sunshine post-office. It outcrops in a zone of varying width around 
the base of the larger anticline at Thermopolis and in a similar way encircles a smaller 
anticline lying to the east in range 93. It occupies the central portion of a small 
uplift which lies mainly on the east side of Bighorn River, opposite the mouth of 
Owl Creek, and other exposures occur along the southern margin of the district in 
ranges 95, 96, and 97. In ranges 98 and 99, township 43, the outcrop is narrow, 
owing to steep dips, and to the west, near the head of a small branch of Cottonwood 
Creek, it disappears under the volcanic rocks. On the western rim of the Thermopolis 
anticline, near Watson's ranch, the Cloverly formation has a thickness of 225 feet and 
exhibits the following members : 

Section of Cloverly formation mcr Watson's ranch on Emhar road, just north of Owl Creek, Wyoming. 

Feet. 

Gray massive sandstone of uneven hardness 100 

Concealed in part, but at another exposure consists of maroon sandy shale at base, merging upward to 

a dull greenish gray, with an occasional harder layer of sandstone _ 100 

Brown massive sandstone with thin-bedded layers 25 

225 

COLORADO FORMATION. 

General relations. — The Colorado formation is well developed in the Bighorn 
basin, being represented by beds ranging from 1,400 to 2,000 feet in thickness, but the 
Greenhorn limestone, which is so prominent in the vicinity of the Black Hills and 
along the Rocky Mountain Front Range, does not appear. The Colorado formation 
is exposed in a wide area in the northeastern portion of the basin, and from Shell 
Creek southward its outcrop varies from 4 to 6 miles in width. It is exposed in a 
wide area on both sides of Rattlesnake Mountain, but farther north, along the base of 
the Absaroka and Beartooth ranges, the beds dip steeply and the outcrop is very 
narrow. Small areas of the formation are exposed along the axes of anticlines east 
of Sage Creek, at intervals along the base of the Shoshone Mountains from Fourbear 
to the Antler ranch, on the divide between Rawhide Creek and Gray Bull River north 
of Pitchfork ranch, and on Wood River and Gooseberry Creek near Sunshine post- 
office. In the Owl Creek Mountain Region it occupies an area 3 to 6 miles wide, 
extending along the base of the mountains from a point west of Embar to the middle 
of range 92. South of Cottonwood Creek there is an anticline exposing 5 or 6 square 
miles of Colorado formation. For further details concerning the distribution of the 
formation see the geologic map. (PI. Ill, pocket.) 



STEATIGBAPHY CEETAOEOUS ROCKS. "I'd 

Pryor Mountain region. — On the southern side of Pryor Mountain, 5 miles north 
of Cowley, the Colorado formation consists of a basal member of rusty brown sandy 
shales, 200 feet thick, overlain by 500 feet of very black shale, in the upper part of 
which occur several horizons of a light-colored clay known as bentonite. Imme- 
diately above this there are about 150 feet of hard, lighter gray shale and sandstone, 
constituting the Mowry beds. Next above are about 300 feet of light-gray shales 
alternating with sandy beds. These shales are capped by 60 feet of gray, coarse- 
grained, cross-bedded sandstone, often water bearing, which in turn is overlain by 
shales 200 feet thick, containing concretionary bands and constituting the uppermost 
member of the formation. 

Ahsaroka Mountain region. — Along the western side of the Bighorn basin the 
Colorado formation is represented by about 2,000 feet of beds, of which the lower 100 
feet consist of rusty brown sandstone, alternating with gray sandy shale. This basal 
member is usually overlain by 200 to 300 feet of very black shale, in the middle of 
which occurs a brown sandstone 20 to 30 feet thick. Above the shale are several 
hundred feet of lighter colored fissile shale, alternating with massive beds of gray 
sandstone that contains in its upper portion a thin deposit of coal. Above this there 
are 200 to 300 feet of dark shale with iron concretions, forming the uppermost member 
of the formation. The sandstones of the Colorado formation are sometimes coarse 
grained and in one locality, on Cottonwood- Creek south of Heart Mountain, were 
observed to contain thin layers of pebbly conglomerate. / 

Bighorn Mountain region. — On the lower lands bordering the Bighorn Mountains 
from Shell Creek northward there is a wide area of Colorado shales in a shallow syn- 
cline or basin whose western side rises in Sheep Mountain. In the vicinity of Cloverly 
the Colorado shales are about 1,200 feet thick. The predominating rock is black 
fissile shale, with thin sandstone alternations. 

The salient features of the formation west of Cloverly are as follows : At the base, 
lying on buff sandstone of the Cloverly formation, are about 100 feet of dark-gray to 
black shale, with thin brown sandstone layers, weathering to a rusty color. The shales 
usually begin abruptly on top of the Cloverly formation, but apparently there is no 
unconformity. Concretions of globular shape, averaging an inch in diameter, occur 
in a few feet of the lower shales, about 60 feet above the base. The concretions have 
a radiating structure and consist mainly of phosphate of lime, having the crystalline 
form of marcasite, the mineral of which the concretion originally consisted. Over- 
lying this basal rusty succession are about 200 feet of black fissile shale, capped by 25 
feet of hard sandy shale containing layers of thin-bedded dark sandstone, which 
represents the Mowry beds of the eastern side of the Bighorn Mountains. 

These beds contain many fish scales and weather to a light-gray color. They 
merge upward into 30 feet of dark shale, overlain by alternating shale and sandstone, 
capping a high ridge. The sandstone layers are from 6 inches to 3 feet thick and are 
of dark-gray color. This succession may represent the upper part of the Mowry 
beds. At its top there is a bed of light-colored sandstone about 10 feet thick. Above 
this there are several hundred feet of dark-colored soft shale containing a few black 
concretions and in its upper portion several sandstone layers. At the top there are 100 
feet of sandy buff-colored shales, with brown concretions, containing Metoicoceras 



30 GEOLOGY AISTD WATER EESOURCES OF BIGHORN BASITST. 

gibhosus, M. whitei Hyatt, and Inoceramus fragilis. This is believed to be the top 
of the formation. 

The calcareous shales and in].pure chalks which characterize the upper member 
of the Colorado formation elsewhere have not been distinctly recognized in the Big- 
horn basin. Along the base of the Bighorn Mountains light-gray shales, somfetimes 
calcareous, lie immediately below the Pierre shale and may represent deposits of 
Niobrara age; but no fossils have been found in these beds. On the western side of 
the basin, in the vicinity of Cody, black shales, underlying the Pierre shales, contain 
fossils belonging to a horizon near the top of the Colorado formation. The following 
forms, identified by Mr. T. W. Stanton, were collected from the southern bank of 
Shoshone River 1 mile northeast of Cody : 

Fossils from the south harik of Shoshone River, Wyoming. 

Inoceramus acutilineata Stanton ( ?) . Corbula. 

Inoceramus sp. Turritella. 

Crassatella. Baculites asper Morton (?). 

Cardium. Baculites of. B. anceps Lam. 

Pholadomya papyracea M. & H. Scaphites ventricosus M. & H. 

Sandstone dikes. — A number of sandstone dikes cut the Colorado shales along the 
lowlands bordering the Bighorn Mountains. These are formed of sand that has been 
forced up, while wet, from underlying sandstones, through crevices in the overlying 
shales, probably by the pressure of aheavy load of overlying strata. These dikes vary 
from 6 to 10 feet in width and are composed of material similar to the Cloverly sand- 
stone. They can sometimes be traced for a mile, generally in a direction at right 
angles to the trend of the mountains. A small dike of this character occurs on the 
divide between Bear and Alkali creeks, about 6 miles west-northwest of Cloverly, 
and others traverse the shales a short distance west of the northern end of Sheep 
Mountain. 

PIERRE SHALE. 

Character and tJiickness. — In the Bighorn basin this formation is represented by 
lead-gray sandy shales containing occasional concretions, which are often fossihfer- 
ous. The shales are ferruginous and on weathering generally assume a yellowish 
color. Along the eastern side of the basin the formation is probably less than 1,000 
feet thick, while at Cody and in the vicinity of Heart Mountain a thickness of 2,000 
feet was measured. The shales of the Pierre formation are soft and weather uni- 
formly, often giving rise to strike valle5^s between the high sandstone ridges of the 
underlying and overlying formations. A number of topographic depressions in the 
Laramie and associated formations, which are due to eroded anticlines, expose Pierre 
shale in their central portions. 

Distribution. — The Pierre shale spreads out over a wide district along Sage and 
Dry creeks, in the neighborhood of Cowley, but to the south, on the west side of 
Sheep Mountain, owing to steeper dips, it outcrops as a narrow band, continuing thus 
to Basin. East of Basin a broad, shallow syncline, 8 to 10 miles wide, in Pierre shale, 
extends nearly to Bonanza, and from here to the southeast corner of the basin the 
outcrop zone varies in width from 2 to 4 miles. On the head of No Water and Kirby 



STKATIGEAPHY CRETACEOUS "ROCKS. 31 

creeks the dips are low, and the formation covers a considerable area, which narrows 
somewhat along the northern side of the Thermopolis anticline. From Watson's 
ranch on Owl Creek, northwest to beyond Cottonwood Creek, a number of gentle folds 
in the beds occur, materially increasing the surface area of the formation. Between 
Cottonwood Creek and Gray Bull River a number of anticlines expose Pierre shale 
in their central parts, and from Sunshine post-office to Cedar Mountain it occupies 
an area from 4 to 10 miles wide, lying at the base of the Shoshone Range. South of 
Oregon basin there is an area of Pierre shale comprising several square miles, but 
from Wiley's ranch northward to the Montana line the outcrop zone tarely exceeds 
a mile in width. 

LAEAMIE AND ASSOCIATED FORMATIONS. 

General statement. — The Laramie and succeeding formations in the Bighorn 
basin have a thickness varying from 5,000 to 7,000 feet, consisting of sandstones, 
shales, and clays, with seams of coal and coaly shales. The group is extensively 
exposed throughout the northeastern portion of the Bighorn basin. Along the 
western side of Bighorn River, from Basin nearly to the head of Little Dry Creek, it 
is partly covered by the overlying Wasatch beds, but from the latter point north- 
westward to the Montana line its outcrop gradually widens. Southward from 
Basin the dips are moderately steep, and the formations occupy an area 3 to 5 miles 
wide, which continues to Bud Kimball Draw. Across the southeast corner of the 
basin the area expands somewhat, and to the west, across the southern side of the 
district, it averages about 6 miles. In the southwestern part of the basin this group 
is exposed over an area 10 to 12 miles wide, which in some places is covered by the 
Wasatch and in others sufficiently eroded to expose the underlying Pierre. In the 
vicinity of Sunshine post-office there is an outlier of so-called Laramie covering 
several square miles. 

On both sides of Sage Creek east of Cody there is an extensive outcrop of Lara- 
im'e, etc., due to a low, broad, anticlinal fold, which passes through Oregon basin. 
North of Shoshone River the outcrop occupies a relatively broad area, which is 
greatly contracted in its northern extension, owing to an increase in dips and a 
decrease in the thickness of the beds. On Line Creek the entire series apparently has 
a thickness of less than 1,200 feet. 

Stratigraphy. — The sandstones of the group are generally gray, but a variable 
amount of iron gives rise to local coloring. Throughout the lower portion the sand- 
stones are usually fine grained and massive and the beds are from 1 to 75 feet thick, 
but 25 to 30 feet is a most common measure. Where shaly intercalations predomi- 
nate the sandstone generally exhibits considerable variation in character. Sand- 
stone concretions frequently occur which vary in size from 1 to 10 feet in diameter; 
their form is usually elongated, with rounded edges, although spherical and lens- 
shaped concretions abound. In the upper part of the group the sandstones are 
coarse grained, containing numerous cross-bedded, pebbly, conglomerate layers, 
some of which attain considerable thickness. At the base of the upper half there 
is a conglomeratic horizon, which, owing to its increased hardness, gives rise to a 
hogback ridge. This ridge crosses Shoshone River near the mouth of Sage Creek. 
From this horizon to the base of the overlying Wasatch formation the conglomeratic 



32 GEOLOGY AND WATER EESOURCES OF BIGHORN BASIN. 

layers recur in the sandstones at frequent intervals. The intercalated shales are 
mainly gray, but often contain a sufficient amount of carbonized wood particles to 
impart to the beds a lignitic character. 

Age of the formations. — As to the age of the formations comprising tliis group 
there is some uncertainty, for no distinctive fossils were found, and the stratigraphic 
relations to other regions were not determined. Along the eastern side of the 
Bighorn Mountains the sandstone at the base of this group, which has been desig- 
nated the Parkman formation, contains fossils characteristic of the Fox Hills sand- 
stone, but in the Bighorn basin from the supposed equivalents of these beds fossils 
appear to be absent. Its stratigraphic position indicates that the entire succession 
probably represents the Fox Hills or Parkman and Laramie formations and possibly 
in its upper portions the Fort Union beds. The Livingston formation, which is 
extensively developed in Montana, may also be represented in the upper beds. 

Supposed Fox Hills sandstone. — The Fox Hills sandstone has not been definitely 
recognized in the western portion of the Bighorn basin. At the base of the Laramie 
formation is a succession about 300 feet thick of massive gray to buff sand- 
stone, with several layers of harder, rust-colored, concretionary sandstone. Litho- 
logically these beds resemble the Fox Hills or Parkman sandstone on the eastern 
side of the Bighorn Mountains. On Polecat Creek, about 5 miles northeast of Gar- 
land, the following fossils were collected from sandstones overlying the Pierre shale: 

Fossils from Polecat Creek, Wyoming. 

Cardium speciosum M. & H. Baculites sp., imperfect casts. 

Mactra sp., small cas:s. Tooth of shark. 

The above species have a considerable vertical range and, according to Mr. 
Stanton, may occur in the Judith River beds as well as in the Fox Hills. On the 
geologic map these sandstones are included with the overlying Laramie and associ- 
ated formations. 

TERTIARY SYSTEM. 

VOLCANIC AND ASSOCIATED SEDIMENTARY ROCKS. 

The Tertiary deposits of the Shoshone Mountains have not been studied in detail 
in connection with the present investigation. The rocks consist largely of volcanic 
breccias and lava flows interbedded with sandstones and shales which have a thickness 
of many thousand feet. They overlap unconformably all the older rocks, outcrop- 
ping along the western side of the Bighorn basin, as shown in the cross sections 
(PL IV, p. 8). On the northern side of the Middle Fork of Owl Creek, near its head, 
fossil leaves were discovered by Mr. N. H. Darton, which have been identified by Mr. 
Knowlton, as follows : 



U. S, G 


EOLOGICAL SURVEY 


PROFESSIONAL PAPER NO. 53 PL. X 


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A. SHOSHONE RIVER IN VICINITY OF CORBETT, WYO. 




..SHM^ 

:?;-iX't~-"v;vS|; Wasatch c o n g I o m e r a t _ ^ ^„\ ^„ „ , 



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BASAL WASATCH CONGLOMERATE LYING U NCON FORM ABLY ON LARAMIE SANDSTONE. 
At head of Dry Cottonwood Creek. 



8TEATIGRAPHY TERTIARY ROCKS. 83 

: Fossils from Middle ForTc of Owl Creek, Wyoming. 

Equiseuum sp., one fragment. Sapindus obiusifolius Lesquereux. Two or three 

Lygodium kaulfusii Herr (L. neuropteroides Lesq.). examples. 

Abundant. Cinchonidium, cf. C. ovata Lesquereux. Two or three 

Populus cuneata Newberry. Abundant. examples. 

Populus glandulifera Herr. Abundant. Carpi^es sp. 

Populus zaddachi Herr. Abundant. From a slightly higher horizon the following forms 



Quercus olafseni Herr. Two examples. W( 

Platanussp.? Several fragments of large leaves. Fragments of the rays of a large palm. 

Aralia whitneyi Lesquereux. Several fragments. Ficussp.? 

Aralia notata Lesquereux. Several fragments. Acer, cf. A. bolanderi Lesquereux. One small leaf. 

Araha, cf. A. radiata Ward. Two examples. 

WASATCH FORMATION. 

Character and thickness. — The Wasatch formation consists of alternating layers 
of sandstone and clay, with an occasional bed of conglomerate. The sandstone 
predominates, mostly as a soft, fine-grained, massive rock in beds which vary in 
thickness from 10 to 40 feet. The thicker sandstone members occur near the base 
of the formation, while those higher up are not only thinner, but less pure, approach- 
ing sandy clays. The prevailing color is gray, although rust-colored bands are not 
infrequent. The clays are sandy and contain numerous small concretions, which 
are sometimes fossiliferous. They are generally gray, but strata of red, maroon, 
and green abound, giving to the whole a banded appearance. Red colors predomi- 
nate, and often serve as a means of distinguishing the formation from the under- 
lying Cretaceous sandstone. The lower part of the Wasatch is conglomeratic, 
comprising 400 to 600 feet of alternating layers of conglomerate and red clay. 
The conglomerate is composed of pebbles derived mainly from Paleozoic sediments, 
with only a small percentage of pre-Cambrian material. The formation has a 
thickness of 1,500 to 2,500 feet and lies unconformably upon the preceding Cre- 
taceous deposits (PI. X, i?). 

Distribution. — The Wasatch has a more extensive outcrop than any other 
formation in the district", occupying a broad area in the central part of the basin, 
which narrows rapidly to the northwest. It constitutes the prominent McCuiloch 
Peak, extends entirely around the base of Heart Mountain, occupies the low divide 
between Bighorn and Clark Fork basins, and gives rise to a number of prominent 
peaks along the base of the Beartooth Mountains from Clark Fork to the Montana 
line. It continues from Gray Bull south to beyond Bighorn River in the region 
of the Honeycombs. Along Dry Creek, Shoshone River, and Clark Fork the forma- 
tion is covered by broad areas of Quaternary deposits. 

The Wasatch beds contain an abundant mammalian fauna. The fossils are 
generally found in the clays, although their occurrence in the sandstones is not 
^uncommon. The best collecting grounds observed were on the badlands slopes 
northeast of McCuUoch Peak, but fossils were found all along the divide between 
Shoshone River and Dry Creek. These deposits have been studied jointly by 
Messrs. Osborn and Wortman with reference to their fossil mammalia, and they 
have been found to be the same as those that characterize the Wasatch formation 
in regions southwest of this area. 



34 GEOLOGY AND WATER RESOtJRCES OF BIGHORN BASIN. 

Capping some of the highest areas in the central part of the Bighorn basin, 
especially that part Ipng south of Gray Bull River, are brown, leaf-bearing, sandy 
shales and gray sandstones, which have a total thickness of about 600 feet. Thin 
coal seams sometimes occur in these beds, and in one locality on the southern side 
of Tatman Mountain some prospecting has been done in a seam which has a thickness 
of about 18 inches. A number of fossils were collected from the sandstones of this 
formation in the vicinity of Squaw Buttes. These have been examined by Dr. 
T. W. Stanton, who makes the following report: 

The small collection contains many internal casts of fresh-water fossils belonging to the genera Unio, 
Viviparus, and Goniohasis. Of the last named there are imprints of the exterior which permit identification 
with G. ienera Hall, an Eocene species. The Unio has about the size and proportions of U. haydeni Meek and 
the Viviparus resembles V. wyomingensis Meek, but in neither case can specific identification be positively 
made with such material, as there are Laramie species so closely resembling these that they could not be dis- 
criminated from the casts alone. I think that the horizon is Eocene, but I am unable to determine from these 
fossils whether it is Wasatch or Bridger. 

These beds are extensively exhibited in Tatman Mountain and Squaw Buttes. 
They have been represented with the Wasatch on the geologic map. 

QUATERNARY SYSTEM. 

General statement. — During the Quaternary period erosion preponderated 
throughout this general region, especially in the higher mountainous portion. 
Most of the products of this erosion, however, have been carried away, but some 
materials remain, derived chiefly from the high mountains in the western part of 
the area. The deposits are confined mainl}^ to the northern part of the Bighorn 
basin, where they occur as extensive gravel terraces capping the high divides and 
bordering the larger streams. Deposits of three different periods are recognized, 
early and late terrace gravels and alluvium. 

Early terrace gravels. — The early terrace deposits cap the liigh plateaus between 
the larger streams in the central portion of the basin. The most extensive of these 
terraces are on the high plateau northeast of Ralston, on the highland between 
Dry Creek and Gray Bull River, extending from the western end of Meeteetse rim 
nearly to Bighorn River and capping Tatman Mountain. They are composed of 
alternating layers of gravel, sand, and silt, having a thickness of 30 to 40 feet, and 
in places are underlain by light-colored sandy clays, which may be of Tertiary age. 

Later terrace gravels. — The later terrace gravels (PL XVI, A, p. 60) border 
all the larger and many of the smaller streams, especially in the northern part of 
the district. The most extensive of these deposits lie along the northern side of 
Shoshone River from Garland to Eaglenest. Between Ralston and Corbett they 
occupy a width of about 2 miles along the western side of the river, and from there 
to Shoshone Canyon they occur in terraces on both sides of the river. Later terrace 
gravels of no great extent occur along Bighorn River and its principal tributaries 
to the south. No Wood and Owl creeks, and remnants of these deposits occur on 
Tensleep, Paintrock, and Shell creeks. Along Clark Fork and Pat O'Harra Creek 
there are extensive areas of the later terrace gravels. The material in the vicinity 
of Clark consists mainly of coarse gravel and bowlders, with a small amount of sand 
and silt. 



STEATIGEAPHT QUATEENAEY EOCKS. 35 

Alluvium. — The alluvial deposits of the Bighorn basin exhibit some diversity 
of character, especially along the smaller streams. The alluvium along Bighorn 
River is of varying width, rarely exceeding 1 mile, and extends nearly across the 
area described in this paper. There are places throughout its course where the 
river flows through deep, narrow gorges in which no alluvium has been deposited. 
These are in Black, Sheep, and Bighorn canyons. The alluvial material is light 
gray, very sandy, and has a thickness of 25 to 40 feet. Shoshone River has consid- 
erable fall between Shoshone Canyon and the Garland bridge, and is in consequence 
a cutting rather than a depositing stream, but below this point the fall diminishes 
and the stream is bordered on both sides by Avide alluvial flats. Here the material 
consists of a fine gray sand mixed with decayed vegetation and usually containing 
a large amount of black magnetic sand. Dry Creek Valley has a light-colored 
sandy wash, derived chiefly from the soft sands and clays of the Wasatch formation. 

Gray Bull River and its principal tributary. Wood River, are bordered by 
narrow alluvial deposits, which generally contain more or less coarse material 
brought down by the mountain streams during the flood seasons. Below Fenton 
the alluvial flat widens considerably and continues thus to a point below Otto, 
beyond which it extends as a relatively narrow band to Bighorn River. 

Most of the streams in the northwestern part of the basin, including Clark Fork, 
have narrow alluvial deposits. Along this river the material is coarse and contains 
bowlders suggestive of sediments derived from a glacier. The alluvium of the 
smaller streams is of local origin, and varies in character with the formations 
which the streams traverse. Newmeyer and Paint creek deposits contain much 
detritus derived from the Chugwater red beds on the higher slopes to the west. The 
alluvial materials on Pat O'Harra Creek, below the mouth of Skull Creek, have a 
dull-gray color and consist largely of wash from the Colorado and Pierre shales and 
from the more sandy cretaceous beds overlying them in the vicinity of Heart Moun- 
tain. On Trail Creek northwest of Cody the alluvium is composed mainly of red 
wash from the Chugwater formation. 

The streams in the higher portion of the Bighorn Mountains flow in deep canyons 
or narrow valleys, where the conditions are imfavorable for the deposition of alluvium. 
In the lower lands farther west, which are underlain by shales and soft sandstones, 
wide valleys have been cut by the streams and the alluvial deposits are more exten- 
sive. The principal areas of alluvium lie along Shell Creek, occupying a belt about 
1 mile wide. The deposit is from 10 to 40 feet thick. Along Beaver Creek lie 
narrower alluvial flats which, below the mouth of Red Gulch, attain a width of about 
a quarter of a mile. In its course through the red beds Trapper Creek traverses a 
narrow alluvial valley which joins that of Shell Creek above Shell. Along Beaver 
Creek and in the valley south and east of Shell the deposits contain much red detritus 
derived from the Chugwater red beds. In their lower courses Paintrock and Ten- 
sleep creeks have narrow alluvial valleys, which are very fertile. 

Alluvial deposits of a more or less local nature occur on Dry, Dry Cottonwood, 
Gooseberry, Meeyero, and Owl creeks, and along the eastern side of Bighorn River 
on Earby, No Water, and No Wood creeks. The alluvium of the streams draining 
the central portion of the basin shows some local variation, but is generally light 
colored and sandy, being derived chiefly from the soft sands and clays of the Wasatch. 



36 GEOLOGY AND WATER RESOURCES OF BIGHORK BASITST. 

and underlying Cretaceous formations. No Wood Creek in its upper course contains 
much red wash derived from the Chugwater red beds, through which it flows for 
several miles. 

STRUCTURAL GEOLOGY. 

General features. — The mountain ranges inclosing the Bighorn basin are pri- 
marily anticlinal uplifts more or less modified by erosion. In the Absaroka, Bear- 
tooth, and Shoshone ranges the erosion has been followed by the deposition of 
immense sheets of volcanic breccia, which are now deeply cut by the present streams. 
The Bighorn basin is essentially a broad structural valley which has been formed 
between two large anticlinal folds, the Bighorn Mountains on the east and south and 
the Beartooth, Absaroka, and Shoshone mountains on the west. Across the northern 
end of this valley, from Heart to Pryor mountains, extends a low anticlinal fold that 
separates the Bighorn and Clark Fork basins, and a number of minor flexures 
parallel to the larger uplifts occur along the outer rim of the inclosed valley. The 
details of the structure of the Bighorn basin are shown in PI. XI. 

Structure of the Bighorn- uplift. °- — The Bighorn Moimtains form a great anticline 
that is due to an uplift measuring many thousand feet, which begins in south-central 
Montana and extends southeastward and southward about 125 miles, into central 
Wyoming. It lifts a thick series of Paleozoic and Mesozoic formations high above 
the plains and, owing to the deep erosion of its crest, presents a central nucleus of 
pre-Cambrian granites from which sedimentary rocks dip at varying angles on each 
side. The most elevated portion of the uplift is in latitude 44° 30', where one of the 
granite summits, Cloud Peak, has an altitude of 13,165 feet, rising about 9,000 feet 
above the adjoining plains. The greatest vertical displacement of the strata, as 
indicated by the height at which the granite floor is now found, amounts to about 
18,000 feet. For the greater part of its course, the anticline is relatively simple in 
shape, but there are numerous local variations in the steepness of its sides and the 
shape of its top, owing to the presence of extensive faults. In general, its eastern 
side is much steeper than the western, especially in the central portion of the uplift. 
In its northern part both sides are relatively steep and the top is remarkably flat. 
In the highest portion of the uplift, which is probably near Cloud Peak, the sedi- 
mentary rocks have been removed over a considerable area, and we can only con- 
jecture the form which the flexure would have if the eroded portions of the granite 
and the overlying sedimentary beds were restored. In this region there is apparently 
a long, uniform rise from the west, a similarly gentle grade downward to the east 
for some distance, and then the steep dips which are now found in the foothills on 
that side. The main uplift bears a number of subordinate flexures, the most notable 
one being east of Bald Mountain. It is an anticline rising about 2,500 feet on the 
northeastward dipping limb of the main anticline. A diagr^-m of the structure of 
the Bighorn Mountains^ and their southern extension, the Owl Creek Range, *= has 
been published by Mr. N. H. Darton. 

a This description of the structure of the Bighorn uplift is taken from the Bald Mountain folio, now in press, by Mr. 
N^H. Darton. 

b Geology and water resources of the Bighorn Mountains: Prof. Paper U. S. Geol. Survey No. 51. 
c Geology of the Owl Creek Mountains, Wyoming: Senate Doc. No. 119, 59th Congress, 1st session. 



STRUCTURAL GEOLOGY. 37 

Structure of tTie Absaroka Mountains. — The Absaroka Mountains comprise that 
part of the western Rocky Mountain Front Range lying between Clark Fork and 
Shoshone River. This range extends in a north-south direction for a distance of 
about 80 miles, and has an average width of 50 miles. Only the eastern portion is 
iacluded within the area to which this paper relates. The structure of the Absa- 
roka Range is complex, but in general it is a broad anticlinal fold having a pre- 
Cambrian granite core, which to the east is bordered by a thick series of Paleozoic and 
Mesozoic formations dipping eastward with steep angles toward the Bighorn basin. 
These dips decrease rapidly toward the lower lands. Between Clark Fork and 
Shoshone River two important folds extend from the main range. The larger, com- 
prising Rattlesnake and Cedar mountains, diverges at an angle of about 20°, and the 
smaller, which constitutes Black Mountain, at a somewhat greater angle. 

The Rattlesnake Mountain uplift is a moderately broad anticlinal fold, with 
gradual slopes on the east and steep dips on the west. It lifts the Paleozoic strata 
about 8,000 feet above the horizon. In the deep canyon of Shoshone River the 
structure of the uplift is exposed down to and into the crj^^stalline rocks. The 
structure of the Rattlesnake Mountain uplift is shown in the cross sections on PI. 
IV, p. 8. South of Shoshone River the anticlinal bends sharply to the east, and, 
owing to rapidly decreasing dips, soon drops into a low arch which disappears near 
Frost ranch, on Sage Creek. The smaller fold projects from the main range at an 
angle of about 40°, and gives rise to Black Mountain. On the southern side of this 
mountain, at the head of Pat O'Harra Creek, the Tensleep sandstone and overlying 
Chugwater formation dip steeply to the southwest into a narrow syncline separating 
Black and Rattlesnake mountains. Across the northeast side of Black Mountain, 
there is a bold escarpment of Carboniferous limestone overlooking the steeply dip- 
ping Tensleep and Chugwater formations. About 6 miles east of Black Mountain, 
along the axis of the smaller fold, stands the high, isolated peak of Heart Mountain. 
This mountain is capped by Madison limestone, which rises as a huge block 500 to 
600 feet above the slopes of the softer Cretaceous and Tertiary formations. The 
limestones dip to the northeast at an angle of about 15°. The highly colored shales 
of the Wasatch formation surround the base of the limestone cliffs alnd lie unconform- 
ably upon the steeply dipping beds of the underlying Cretaceous deposits. The dip 
of the Wasatch beds here is somewhat obscure, but they appear to lie horizontal or 
possibly to be slightly inclined to the east. North and east of Heart Mountain the 
Wasatch beds lie against the base of the limestone cliffs. About 2 miles northwest 
of the peak the relation of the Wasatch shales to the underlying Cretaceous beds is 
v/ell exposed. Here the latter dips at an angle of 45° to 60°, and across the upturned 
ends of these beds lie Wasatch shales, which dip eastward at a low angle. On 
the western side of Heart Mountain the dip and strike of the Cretaceous beds are 
unchanged from Pat O'Harra Creek to Shoshone River. The underground struc- 
tural relations of Heart Mountain are somewhat obscure, but the uplift is probably 
due to a circular fault, which raised the Madison limestone several thousand feet 
above its original position. Between Heart and Rattlesnake mountains minor 
flexures appear, the largest exposing a small area of the Sundance formation along 
the western side of Cottonwood Creek. South of Shoshone Ri^ver and east of Sage 



38 GEOLOGY AND WATER RESOURCES OF BIGHORN BASIN. 

Creek there is a broad anticline extending southward, in which the lowest formation 
exposed is the Colorado. 

Structure of tTie Shoshone Mountains. — The Shoshone Mountains comprise the 
rugged mountainous district lying to the west of the Bighorn basin and extending 
from Shoshone River southward to Wind River. Carter Mountain, a prominent 
ridge at the northern end of the range, forms a high divide between South Fork of 
Shoshone and Gray Bull rivers. Only the eastern part of the Shoshone Range is 
included in the area described. The Shoshone Mountains were formed by an uplift 
which raised a thick series of Paleozoic and Mesozoic formations high above the 
plains, followed by deep erosion of its crest, and later deposition of a thick mass of 
volcanic and associated sedimentary rocks, which still retain their horizontal position. 
The most elevated part of the range in this district is the southern end, where a lofty 
peak, Washakie Needles, reaches an altitude of 12,496 feet, rising about 1,000 feet 
above the adjoining area. 

Structure of Sheep Mountain. — Across the eastern part of the basin there are a 
number of minor flexures, of which the most prominent are those comprising the 
Sheep Mountain uplift. This uplift is composed mainly of two anticlinal ridges 
marked by Sheep Mountain along the western side in the southern part of the uplift 
and Little Sheep Mountain along the eastern side toward the northern end. These 
ridges trend N. 50° W. ; they are nearly parallel, and the distance between their axes 
is about 5 miles. Sheep Mountain extends from near the mouth of Shell Creek to 
Dry Creek. It is due to a narrow anticline uplifted about 600 to 700 feet, exposing 
the Madison limestone along the crest of the ridge and in the walls of Black Can- 
yon. Little Sheep Mountain begins near Shoshone River and contin,ues southward 
to beyond Bighorn River, where the flexure becomes less prominent. About 2 
miles east of Crystal there is an anticline exposing Chugwater beds on both sides of 
Alkali Creek. In its southern extension this anticline apparently joins vSheep 
Mountain south of Bear Creek. Farther south, along this line of uplift, tnere are a 
number of small anticlines, two near Bonanza, which expose the Sundance formation 
in their crest, and one on the western side of No Wood Creek below Bigtrails, which 
coalesces with the main uplift at its southern end. At the southeast corner of the 
area there is a sharp anticline through which No Wood Creek has cut a narrow, steep- 
sided canyon, exposing Madison limestone in its crest. 

To the north, in a direct line with Little Sheep Mountain, the southern extension 
of the Pryor Mountain uplift occurs. The lowest beds exposed by this uplift within 
the area considered in this paper is the Chugwater formation. Farther out in the 
basin there are a few smaller folds, one east of Garland, which exposes the Pierre 
shale, and another east of Windsor. Northwest of Frannie there is a small anticline 
that exposes the sandstone of the upper Colorado formation. 

Structure of the west side of the hasin. — Extending southward from the Oregon 
basin there is a low, broad anticline, exposing an area of Colorado formation. Far- 
ther south this anticline coalesces with the southern extension of the Rattlesnake 
Mountain anticline. To the west there is a broad syncline, the western limb of which 
lies along Sage Creek Valley. To the north this sjoicline passes between the southern 
extension of the Rattlesnake uplift and a fault which, along its upthrow side, exposes 



STEUCTUEAL AND HISTOEIOAL GEOLOGY. 6'd 

a narrow ridge of sandstone belonging to the upper part of the Colorado formation. 
The position of this fault is shown on the geologic map. 

To the south, in the vicinity of Meeteetse, the region is one of greater structural 
complexity. A series of anticlines with corresponding synclines crosses the region 
with a south-southeast trend from Meeteetse to the base of the Shoshone Mountains. 

Beginning at the base of the Shoshone Range the first fold, which is small and 
unimportant in the present consideration, crosses Gray Bull River about 2 miles 
above the mouth of Rock Creek. This fold is exposed in the Colorado shale. To 
the east, along Gray Bull River for a distance of 6 to 8 miles, the surface is occupied 
by Pierre shale. The Laramie formation is first encountered below the Frank ranch, 
where a bold escarpment of sandstone faces the west. From here the Laramie, etc., 
extends eastward for about 3 miles in a synclinal trough, followed to the east by an 
eroded anticline exposing Pierre and Colorado beds. These flexures have a northern 
extension of 4 to 5 miles, and to the south continue to Gooseberry Creek. Still 
farther east, near the mouth of Rawhide Creek, there is a low syncline and anticline 
and to the south toward Gooseberry Creek a number of folds occur. Upper Buffalo 
basin, the most prominent of these, exposes a large area of Pierre in its central portions. 
Two small anticlines which expose Pierre shale cross Gooseberry Creek near Renner's 
ranch. From the eastern slope of the low anticline at the mouth of Rawhide Creek 
the beds extend eastward with a low, uniform dip, passing beneath the Wasatch beds 
toward the center of the Bighorn basin. 

South of Dickie's ranch there is an anticline which presents a deep topographic 
depression, locally known as the "Upper Grass Creek basin. ' ' The center of this fold is 
occupied by Pierre shale encircled by a high wall of the overlying formation. On 
the south side of Grass Creek the beds dip steeply to the center of a narrow syncline 
in Wasatch, which extends to the west. 

Structure of the TTiermopolis anticline. — This anticline extends from the middle 
of R. 93, T. 43, west-northwest to the divide between Owl and Cottonwood creeks. 
A small area of Embar limestone is exposed on the crest of the fold near Thermopolis, 
surrounded by several square miles of Chugwater red beds. To the northwest the 
beds dip rapidly downward, carrying the Sundance, Morrison, and Cloverly forma- 
tions beneath the surface a short distance beyond Owl Creek. 

HISTORICAL GEOLOGY. 

General statement. — The geologic history of the Bighorn basin, as recorded ia 
the various rocks outcropping around its outer portion, extends from Middle Cam- 
brian time to the present. All the more important changes in physical geography 
which took place in the adjoining Bighorn and Rocky Mountain province, from the 
earliest Cambrian submergence to near the close of Eocene times, are recorded in the 
rocks of this region. These rocks comprise sedimentary strata several thousand feet 
in thickness which were originally a part of a much larger area now bordering the 
Rocky Mountain Front Range. Near the close of the epoch of early Tertiary moun- 
tain development, which resulted in the elevation of the Rocky Mountain Range and 
the Bighorn, Prior, and Owl Creek mountains, the district now comprising the Big- 
horn basin became surrounded on all sides by high mountain barriers. The elevation 



40 GEOLOGY AND WATER BESOUEOES OF BIGHORN BASIN. 

of these inclosing ranges probably was greater than it is at present, for subsequent 
erosion has removed from their summits the softer sedimentary rocks and some of 
the granitic nucleus. 

The sedimentary rocks of the Bighorn basin consist mainly of sandstone, lime- 
stone, shale, sand, and gravel, all more or less variable in composition and appearance. 
The principal materials of which the sedimentary rocks are composed were originally 
sand, gravel, or calcareous mud derived from the decomposition of older rocks, or 
chemical precipitates from sea waters. 

Cambrian times. — The lowest sediments of this period are of middle Cambrian 
age. They are such as characterize shore deposits along a land surface of crystalline 
rocks. Numerous exposures occur in which sediments containing much local 
material can now be seen abutting against the crystalline, rocks that formed these 
shores. During the early part of this period the Bighorn Mountains were probably 
an island and the Rocky Mountain Front Range a highland rising out of the Cam- 
brian sea. After the earliest shore-line conditions a submergence followed and finer 
deposits of mud were laid down, which are now represented by shales and limestones 
in the upper part of the Cambrian. The limestone conglomerates of the Deadwood 
formation indicate shallow- water conditions, and the sandstone overlying the forma- 
tion probably marks the beginnmg of emergence which progressed through the early 
portion of Ordovician time. 

Ordovician period. — Later in the early part of Qrdovician time there was a sub- 
mergence of this entire region, and extensive deposition of lime carbonate which at 
first was mixed with a large amount of silica. The shores of this Ordovician sea were 
probably distant, some of them being in the Laramie Range to the south. 

Silurian-Devonian times. — Throughout the eastern portion of the district there 
is no geologic record from the close of Ordovician to early Carboniferous times, but 
to the northwest, in the Absaroka Mountains, deposits occur which are believed to 
represent these periods. The absence of Silurian and Devonian sediments in the 
Bighorn Mountains and adjoining region is difficult to account for. It may have 
been due to an extensive but shallow sea or land so low as to leave no noticeable 
evidence of erosion. 

Carhoniferous conditions. — During the subsidence which took place in early 
Carboniferous times, resulting in the establishment of relatively deep water and 
marine conditions throughout the Rocky Mountain province, calcareous sediments 
were laid down which are now represented by 600 to 1,000 feet of limestone, known 
as the Madison limestone. This formation contains no coarse sediments, a fact 
that suggests that possibly there were no crystalline land surfaces exposed in this 
region during its deposition. In regions to the south, however, limestones believed 
by some to be the stratigraphic equivalent of the Madison were deposited on crystal- 
line rocks. Following the deposition of these limestones there was a change in 
conditions, during which beds of red shale of wide extept, followed by cherty lime- 
stone, pure limestones, and, in some places, beds of sand, were deposited, which now 
represent the Amsden formation. Toward the close of Carboniferous times there 
was an uplift, and a period of shallow water with strong currents ensued, during 
which time there were deposited several hundred feet of sandstone, which now 
constitute the Tensleep formation. At the close of this period marine conditions 



HISTORICAL GEOLOGY. 41 

prevailed and limestones were deposited, followed by the deposition, in a widespread 
saline lake, of 700 to 800 feet of red shale containing gj^psum, which now constitute 
the Chugwater red beds. These thick red shales and associated beds of gypsum 
were probably the product of an arid climate. The red color is not due to surface 
oxidation, but extends through the entire thickness, as has often been shown by 
deep borings, and is therefore the original color of the sediments. During the 
deposition of these red muds there were doubtless periods when, owing to evapora- 
tion, the waters became highly concentrated, and moife or less gypsum was precipi- 
tated throughout the sediments, which later segregated into massive beds of gypsum 
as we now find them. Most of the red deposits were laid down in shallow water, 
so that subsidence must have kept pace with deposition while they were accumu- 
lating. 

During the early part of the red-beds deposition there was an interruption which 
was widespread in the shale sedimentation, and a succession of relatively pure, 
thin-bedded limestones were laid down. In some locations outside of this area the 
supposed equivalents of these limestones are of Permian age, but further than this 
there is no satisfactory evidence as to the age of the red shales. They probably 
represent not only Permian, but a part of Triassic, times. 

Between the red shales of the Chugwater formation and the overlying Sundance 
there is in this region no suggestion of an unconformity, but in most localities there 
is evidence of uplift and erosion of the red beds in an interval prior to the deposition 
of the Sundance formation. 

Jurassic sea. — Throughout the Jurassic period shallow and deep marine waters 
alternated. The sediments are mainly fine grained, such as characterize waters 
without strong currents. Three principal events are recorded in the rocks of the 
formation — first, a period of shallow waters, during which sandy shales, in part 
ripple marked were laid down, followed by deeper water conditions, resulting in the 
deposition of limestones bearing an extensive marine fauna, with a return to shallow 
waters near the close, now indicated by sandy sediments. 

Cretaceous period. — In the Cretaceous period deposits that vary greatly in 
character, but that are generally of uniform type over wide areas, accumulated. 
The deposits at first were such as are characteristic of shallow seas and estuaries 
that lie along a coastal plain, passing into sediments derived from marine waters, 
and toward the close changing to fresh-water materials, mainly sand and clay with 
marsh vegetation. The earliest Cretaceous deposits constitute the Morrison forma- 
tion. This is a widespread deposit of material which is generally fine grained, con- 
sisting of clay and sand, with local beds of coarse sand deposited by streams. Dur- 
ing this period large saurians were more or less abundant, as is indicated by the 
remains now found in the sandstones. The fine-grained sediments of the Morrison 
are succeeded by coarse, pebbly sandstones of the lower part of the Cloverly forma- 
tion. Overlying the pebbly sandstones there are highly-colored, often sandy, clays, 
which are overlain in turn by a medium-grained sandstone, supposed to be the 
equivalent of the Dakota sandstone. Succeeding this period of fresh-water deposits 
there was submergence, and marine conditions were again established, as is indicated 
by the change of the sediments to dark-colored fissile shale. This marine sedimen- 
tation continued until there had been deposited several thousand feet of shale, which 



42 GEOLOGt AND WATER RESOURCES OF BIGHORN BASIN. 

now represent the Colorado and Pierre formations. During this period there were 
several interruptions in shale sedimentation, which resulted in the deposition of 
sandstone and sandy shale. The most noteworthy of these was that in which the 
Mowry beds were laid down. During the period of Pierre deposition, which was of 
long duration, very uniform conditions prevailed, and there was apparently no 
break in shale sedimentation. The succeeding epoch marks the retreat of the 
Cretaceous sea. During this time there were extensive bodies of brackish water, 
which deposited sands, followed by fresh waters, in which were laid down several 
thousand feet of clay, sand, and marsh materials of the Laramie and associated 
formations. 

Early Tertiary deposits. — During early Tertiary times there was extensive 
uplift throughout the Rocky Mountain province. This fact is indicated in the 
adjoining mountain districts, where late Tertiary deposits lie upon an eroded surface 
which has the general form of the present topography. These relations show that 
the uplift was truncated and the larger topographic features formed in early Eocene 
times. During the erosion of these uplifts there began in the Bighorn basin the 
accumulation of the thick sediments which now constitute the Wasatch formation. 
These were laid down b}^ streams which, during most of the time, were sluggish and 
had extensive areas of overflow into bayous and lakes. B}^ this means the basin 
was covered and partly filled with materials derived chiefly from the early Mesozoic 
sediments, which then extended higher on the slopes of the inclosing ranges. This 
derivation is shown by the character of the clays now comprising the Wasatch 
formr.tion. 

After a long period, during which there accumulated 2,000 to 3,000 feet of 
Wasatch sediments and possibly a considerable thickness of later Tertiary deposits, 
a new cycle of erosion began, caused either by uplift or by the development of a 
lower' outlet for the drainage of the basin. Then began the erosion of the Tertiary 
deposits, but there was probably much shifting of drainage before the present system 
was developed. 

WATER RESOURCES. 

GROUND WATERS. 

All of the larger streams in the Bighorn basin carry an abundance of good water, 
and in consequence few wells are needed, the water for domestic purposes being sup- 
plied by the streams directly or through the larger irrigation canals. In the vicinity 
of Germania a number of shallow wells obtain water from the later terrace gravels, 
but its quality is poor. At Garland a relatively deep surface well sunk in the Laramie 
formation obtained water which is highly mineralized, and there are a number of 
springs throughout the district which have small flows of alkali water derived from 
the gravel terraces. 

Along Gray Bull River there are a few shallow wells that obtain water from the 
valley deposits, but many of the ranchers use river water. In the Bighorn River 
Valley the water of shallow wells is generally mineralized, and for this reason much of 
the domestic water supply comes from the river. The same conditions exist in the 
valleys of No Wood Creek and its principal tributaries. Along Owl Creek a number 
of shallow wells furnish water that contains more or less "alkali.'' 



WATER RESOURCES. 43 

UNDERGROUND WATERS. 

A number of the formations exhibited in the Bighorn basin consist largely of 
porous rocks, mainly sandstone. These rocks undoubtedly contain water in their 
underground beds. They outcrop around the outer portion of the basin and extend 
far up the slopes of the ridges, where in many places they imbibe water from rain and 
from streams fed by melting snows on the summits of the mountains. In their under- 
ground beds they lie immediately beneath impervious shales. To this extent the con- 
ditions for underground water are favorable, but the dips are generally steep, and the 
water-bearing formations are carried rapidly to depths too great to be reached by 
practicable well borings. Along the eastern side of the basin, between the Sheep and 
Bighorn Mountain uplifts, there is a small area where the conditions are favorable for 
artesian water. The structure of the formation in this region is shown in the cross 
sections on PI. IV, p. 8. In several places along the eastern side of the basin there 
are long monoclinal slopes of Tensleep sandstone traversed by numerous mountain 
streams. These slopes afford excellent catchment areas for artesian water, and at 
their base, in the low valleys, the conditions for artesian water are very favorable. 
The most promising localities are the lowlands bordering Bighorn River on the west, 
in the region north of Ionia, in all the larger red-beds valleys along the base of the 
mountains between Shell and Tensleep creeks, and in the upper parts of the valleys 
of Alkali, Spring, Otter, and Little Canyon creeks. 

■Along Owl Creek Valley, in the vicinity of Embar, and near the mouth of Mud 
Creek, artesian water might possibly be obtained froiii the Cloverly formations at 
moderate depth. 

The water-bearing formations of the basin are the Cloverly, Tensleep, and Amsden. 
Of these the Tensleep and Cloverly formations are perhaps the most important. The 
latter consists largely of sandstone, like the water-bearing sandstone beneath the 
central Great Plains. Though no . practical tests have been made of the water 
capacities of the Cloverly sandstones in this fegion it is probable that they contain 
considerable water. They lie at a depth of several thousand feet from the surface 
under a great part of the basin, but in the region east of the Sheep Mountain uplift, 
between Shell Creek and Shoshone River, they can be reached by well borings less 
than 1,200 feet deep. Flows could be obtained, however, only in the valleys of the 
streams, and as most of these streams carry an abundance of fine water artesian 
wells are not required. The Laramie and associated formations are water bearing, 
but owing to their steep dips, especially in the northern portion of the Bighorn basin, 
it has not been practicable to sink artesian wells into them. In Gray Bull Valley, in 
the vicinity of Meeteetse, however, several small flows have been obtained from the 
sandy members of these formations. The Tensleep and Amsden formations in the 
basin are very promising artesian-water horizons, but they are generally too deeply 
buried by overlying sediments to be reached by well borings. 

Artesian water could probably be obtained in the valley of Sage Creek, between 
Frannie and Shoshone River, at depths not exceeding 2,000 feet. The first water- 
bearing bed which would be encountered in this region in sinking a deep well is a sand- 
stone in the upper part of the Colorado formation. At Cowley this sandstone was 
penetrated at a depth of about 500 feet. The next water-bearing horizon below the 
11774— No. 53—06 i 



44 GEOLOGY AND "WATER RESOURCES OF BIGHORN BASIN". 

sandstone of the Colorado formation is the Cloverly formation, which is about 1,200 
feet deeper, or approximately 1,700 feet from the surface at Cowley. Northwest of 
Frannie, outside the region to which this paper relates, artesian flows were obtained 
at a depth of 1,000 feet by the Montana and Wyoming Oil Company in borings made 
for oil. In the valley of Gypsum Creek there is a small area where artesian water 
could probably be obtained at less than 400 feet. 

IRRIGATION. 

General statement. — Irrigation has been practiced in the Bighorn basin for 
about twenty 3^ears, but its growth and development have been necessarily slow 
until recently. The region is far from good markets, and for the first few years 
irrigators were compelled to depend entirel}'^ upon the local demand for the disposal 
of their pfoduce. This demand has sometimes been inadequate, and farmers were 
obhged to hold their grain from one season to another or give it in exchange for 
other commodities. These conditions have retarded development in some of the 
irrigated districts. Settlement was first made along the eastern side of the basin, 
and here, in the valleys of the larger mountain streams, some of the earliest irri- 
gation ditches were constructed. The lowlands bordering the streams were first 
farmed, but as the population increased higher portions of the valleys were brought 
under cultivation, and at present a large percentage of the irrigable lands is utilized 
(PI. XII) . Extensive preparations are also being made, both by the Government and 
by private enterprise, to reclaim large tracts of land along Bighorn and Shoshone 
rivers and Dry Creek in the central portion of the basin (see p. 46). 

Bighorn River. — Along the Bighorn River Valley in the northern part of the 
basin irrigation is not extensively practiced. The low bottom lands are generally 
very sandy, and the gravel terraces bordering the river are too high to be watered 
by short ditches. Small marginal areas are irrigated along the western side of 
Bighorn River, mainly below the mouth of Gray Bull River, in the vicinity of Crystal; 
along Alkali Creek, a small tributary of Bighorn River from the east, and in the 
vicinity of Kane. None of these areas are large. The water is usually conveyed 
by small ditches, each ranch having a separate canal. Crooked Creek, a tributary 
of Bighorn River from the west, supplies water for a narrow area of valley land 
along both sides of the stream from its mouth to the base of Pryor Mountain. Above 
Basin on Bighorn River several irrigated districts occur, and at present two large 
canals, the Hanover canal and Bighorn County canal, are being constructed on 
either side of the river, which will reclaim approximately 48,000 acres of land 
between Winchester and the mouth of Gra^^ Bull River. 

Shoshone River. — At present, irrigation along Shoshone River is practiced mainly 
in two districts; one lying on the southern side of the river between Cody and 
Corbett's bridge (PI. XIII, A), the other, a larger area, extending eastward from 
Garland bridge to Bighorn River. On the northern side of Shoshone River the Cin- 
cinnati canal covers a large area. It is about 25 miles long, and furnishes water 
for the region around Byron and Cowley, the total area irrigated comprising approxi- 
mately 23,000 acres. South of Shoshone River is the Lovell Irrigation Company's 
canal, which extends from a point south of Garland to Bighorn River. This is a 




L.L.POATES, ENGB'SCO. , ft. 



IRRIGATION. 45 

high-line canal, and when completed will furnish water for all the higher irrigable 
land on the southern side of Shoshone River. A number of small ditches supply 
water to the lower portion of the valley between Lovell and Ionia. The valley 
lands are very fertile, especially in the vicinity of Lovell, and a variety of crops are 
cultivated. Alfalfa is the staple, but during the last three years much grain has 
been produced. Cultivation of sugar beets has been attempted and has generally 
been successfid. 

Clark Fork. — Along Clark Fork and its various tributaries much land is irri- 
gated, as shown in PI. XII. Throughout the upper portion of Clark Fork Valley 
the alluvium is composed largely of coarse gravel and bowlders, containing only a 
small proportion of sand and silt, and in consequence is not well adapted to culti- 
vation. The valley of Pat O'Harra Creek, the principal tributary of Clark Fork, 
is very narrow, but is exceptionally fertile. Along Paint, Newmeyer, and Little 
Rocky creeks and the upper courses of Bennett and Line creeks there are a few 
small irrigated farms. 

Gray Bull River. — Irrigation is extensively practiced along the entire course 
of Gray Bull River, but the amount of water in the stream is not adequate for the 
irrigation of all the valley lands without storage of its flood waters. A preliminary 
survey was made in 1899 for the purpose of locating a storage reservoir on the head- 
waters of the Gray Bull, and, as a result of this investigation, a dam and reservoir 
site was located on the river about 10 miles above Fourbear. The approximate 
boundaries of the irrigable lands are shown in PI. XII. The soil is very fertile, 
and a large amount of hay and grain is raised in the vicinity of Meeteetse, where 
irrigation has been practiced for many years (see PI. I, B). 

Shell Greek. — The waters of Shell Creek and its tributaries have been used for 
irrigation for nearly twenty years. The stream has a large flow of water, and its 
fall is about 25 feet to the mile. It is bordered by a relatively wide valley, which 
has gentle slopes, affording ideal conditions for irrigation. The soil is generally 
deep and fertile and well adapted to the cultivation of a variety of crops. A number 
of small ditches have been taken out on both sides of the stream, and a large part 
of the land is farmed. Alfalfa is the principal crop, but grain also is raised. There 
are a number of bearing orchards along Horse Creek, the largest tributary of Shell 
Creek from the north. The seasons are of sufficient length in this region to insure 
the maturity of most crops. 

Other flowing streams. — A portion of the land is irrigated along the valleys 
of Gooseberry, Grass, and Owl creeks.- The latter has a wide, fertile valley, only 
a part of which is irrigated, owing to a shortage of water. Owl Creek has a vigorous 
flow for a short period during the flood season, but this flow rapidly decreases, and 
in midsummer the stream below Embar is nearly dry. 

On No Wood Creek and its principal tributaries, Paintrock and Tensleep, the 
valley land is extensively irrigated. The soil along these streams, although pre- 
dominately sandy, is very fertile, and a variety of crops are cultivated. Small 
storage reservoirs have been located on Dry Cottonwood and the East Fork of 
No Water creeks, and the land to be irrigated from these reservoirs is shown in 
PI. XIL 



46 GEOLOGY AND WATER EESOUEOES OF BIGHORN BASIN. 

Dry Greek. — Around Germania there is an irrigated district comprising about 
12,000 acres, which receives its water supply from the Branch canal. This canal 
is diverted from Gray Bull River in the vicinity of Fenton. A large acreage of oats, 
wheat, and alfalfa is here under cultivation; also a variety of vegetables. As Dry 
Creek is an intermittent stream the community is dependent upon the ditch water 
for domestic uses as well as for irrigation. 

The Bighorn Basin Development Company is now making preparations to 
reclaim all the irrigable lands' along Dry Creek from Oregon basin to Bighorn River. 
The water is to be taken from South Fork of Shoshone River near the mouth of 
Belknap Creek and carried through a high-line canal for nearly 30 miles to Oregon 
basin, where it is to be stored. From here it will be distributed by two large canals — 
the Shoshone and the South Fork. The lands to be reclaimed by this company are 
shown in PI. XII. 

Irma Flats. — Southwest of Cody, Wyo., is a small farming district comprising 
about 2,000 acres, known as the Irma Flats. This district is supplied with water by 
the Cody canal, which has its headgate on South Fork of Shoshone River near the 
mouth of Marquette Creek. 

Shoshone project. — The Government is now constructing a dam across Shoshone 
River at the upper end of Shoshone Canyon for the purpose of storing a portion of 
the flood waters of that river. The dam is to be 85 feet wide in the river bed and 
165 feet wide at an elevation of 210 feet. A dam of this size will have a storage 
capacity of 159,500 acre-feet. The water from the storage reservoir is to be used 
for irrigating along the northern side of Shoshone River in a district extending from 
the mouth of Shoshone Canyon to beyond Frannie station, a distance of about 60 
miles, and comprising an area of about 282,000 acres of level land. (See' PI. X, A.) 
The distribution of the land to be irrigated is shown in PI. XII, and the 
dam site (PI. II, B) and storage-reservoir site in PI. XIII, B. 

MIIS^ERAL RESOURCES. 



GENEEAL DESCRIPTION. 

Coal is the principal mineral resource in the sedimentary formations of the 
Bighorn basin. It occurs mainly in the so-called Laramie formation, although on 
the western side of the district a coal, said to be of good quality, is found in the 
upper part of the Benton group, and on No Wood Creek, 12 miles southeast of 
Bonanza, a local deposit of coal is mined from the Cloverly formation. The coal is 
found at various horizons throughout the Laramie and associated formations, but 
most of the deposits of workable thickness are in a basal member of this formation 
or possibly in beds still lower. Coal'is widespread in its distribution within the area 
occupied by the Laramie and associated formations. The greatest development, 
however, is found in places where the larger streams expose the coal measures. 
Here the most favorable conditions exist for locating mines and the increased settle- 
ment of the irrigated valleys along the streams afford local market for the coal. 
The various districts in the Bighorn basin, where the principal development of the 



MINERAL RESOURCES COAL. 47 

coal deposits has taken place, are described separately. The limits of these districts 
are arbitrarily taken and they are designated by the nearest town. 

CODY DISTRICT. 

Coal is mined at several localities in the vicinity of Cody. The Navine mine, 
3J miles northeast of Cody, on the opposite side of Shoshone River, is the oldest 
mine in the district. Coal has been taken out of this opening for several years to 
supply a small ranch trade along the valley. The deposit is between 2 and 3 feet 
thick. During the last three years the increase in population in the vicinity of 
Cody has caused a greater demand for fuel, and in consequence several new mines 
have been opened. These are the Burns & Rogers mine, the mine of the Cody 
Coal Company, and others. The Burns & Rogers mine is situated 5 miles south- 
southeast of Cody, on the west rim of a small syncline through which Sage Creek 
flows. The coal here is in the lower portion of the coal-bearing measures. The 
deposit consists of three benches separated by two slate partings. It has an east- 
ward dip of 47° and is included in beds of massive gray sandstone. An inchne 90 
feet deep has been driven on the seam, with a large room on either side. The coal 
is hard and black, with a bright luster and uneven fracture. It does not break up 
badly on exposure to atmospheric agencies and as a domestic coal is said to be very 
satisfactory. The product of this mine will probably never be large, for the deposit 
is thin and the dip of the beds is so steep that the limit of economic working will 
soon be reached. This coal finds a market in Cody and in the Shoshone River 
Valley. The following section was measured at the Burns & Rogers mine : 

Section at the Bums & Rogers mine, near Cody, Wyo. 

Ft. in. 

Coal : 10 

Impure coal 6 

Coal 1 2 

Gray slate 3 

Coal 1 

During the past season the Cody Coal Company has opened a mine on the 
northern side of Shoshone River about 3 miles east of Cody station. The coal 
occurs about 1,500 feet above the top of the Pierre shale in beds dipping at an 
angle of 45° to the east. The deposit is about 4^ feet thick and is apparently of 
good quality, although no analysis of the product was available. The opening of 
this bed is in the face of the bluffs about 30 feet above the railroad, so that the coal 
can be loaded for shipment at small expense when the new side track now being built 
is completed. The mine is well timbered and preparations are being made for more 
extensive development. A section of the deposit is as follows : 

Section of Cody Coal Company's mine, Cody, Wyo. 

Feet. 

Dark sandy clay , .----• - 6 

Coal 4 

Coaly shale 2 

Dark sandy clay 8 

Gray massive sandstone , 20 



48 GEOLOaT AND WATER EE80UECES OF BIGHORN BASIN. 

Arrangements are now being made by another company to develop coal beds at 
the same horizon on the southern side of Shoshone River. 

Some prospecting has been done on Sage Creek and its tributaries in the vicinity 
of Frost's ranch. Other prospects occur in the high bluffs of Wiley's ranch and on 
Dry Creek east of Oregon basin. None of these openings are worked at present. 
Some development work has been done on a bed of coaly shale on the eastern side 
of Sage Creek about 2 miles above its mouth. The coal occurring in the Colorado 
formation just west of Cody bridge was formerly mined to some extent. 

MEETEETSE DISTRICT. 

In the vicinity of Meeteetse there are a number of coal mines which have been 
operated more or less extensively for the last fifteen years. The region is one of 
considerable structural complexity, with a number of low anticlines and intervening 
synclines crossing it. This folding has greatly increased the surface area of the 
coal-bearing formations, bringing the productive beds near the surface over a con- 
siderable area. 

The Conie mine, on the Meeteetse rim, 12 miles northwest of Meeteetse, was 
reopened in 1903 after lying idle for several years. The coal is in relatively thin beds, 
lying nearly horizontal. It is black with an unusually bright luster, brown streak, 
and subconchoidal fracture. The woody structure is maintained to a marked degree, 
and its resistance to weathering is slight. Its occurrence in a soft-clay formation 
renders it difficult to mine and the absence of a solid roof necessitates elaborate tim- 
bering, greatly increasing the cost of operation. The mine is located in an inacces- 
sible place and will probably never be extensively developed. The character of this 
coal bed is illustrated in the following section: 

Section at Conie mine, near Meeteetse, Wyo. 

Ft. in. 

Coal 1 2 

Bony coal 7 

Coal n 

Dark-grav slate _ 4 

Coal....!.. 1 6 

Dark-gra}^ slate 1 8 

Coal - 1 6 

Slate 4 

Coal 8 

The Orr mine is situated on a branch of Meeteetse Creek, about 3 miles north- 
west of Wise. It is well opened with a double well-timbered entry, extending 100 
feet from the outcrop. The bed consists of two benches, each 3 feet thick, separated 
by a layer of light-bluish-gray slate which is characteristic of this horizon. The coal 
is black with a bright luster, brown streak, and uneven fracture. This mine is 
worked during the winter months with a seasonal output of 300 to 400 tons. Con- 
siderable prospecting has been done near the Orr mine and one opening has been made 
about a mile south which exposes a 6-foot bed of coal. 

The Blake mine is located about 3 miles above Meeteetse, on the north bank of 
Gray Bull River. Here a seam 5 feet 9 inches thick has been extensively operated, 



MIKERAL RESOUECES — COAL. 49 

and is one of the oldest openings in the district. The dip of the beds is 9° NE. 
The main entry is about 150 feet in length, with several side entries. The workings 
are too low in the river bank for perfect drainage to be effected, and some little 
difficulty has resulted from this condition. Operations were first begun at this 
place in 1892, but there was only a small output until 1898, when the property was 
purchased by the present owners. The total production from 1898 to 1902 exceeded 
2,000 tons. In 1902 the product amounted to 900 tons with a market value of $2 
per ton at the mine. At present the mine is not worked. There is another opening 
on the same horizon a short distance up the river which was formerly owned by 
McDonald & Cottle, of Thermopolis. The dip in this region is low and the conditions 
are generally favorable for more extensive development of these properties. 

Section at the Blake mine, near Meeteetse, Wyo. 

Ft. in. 

Bony coal ' 6 

Clay and sandstone 6 

Coal , 3 3 

Bluish-gray slate - . . 3 

Coal.... V--- 2 6 

Impure coal 6 

During the summer of 1904 an opening was made on a bed of coal in the upper 
part of the coal-bearing formations near the mouth of Meeteetse Creek, about 2 
miles north of Meeteetse,- Wyo. It is now known as the Woodruff mine. The seam 
is 4 feet thick with no partings. It is overlain by hard, gray sandstone and under- 
lain by a dark-colored compact clay. An entry 150 feet deep has been driven in the 
seam, with several large rooms on either side. The coal is hard and black with a 
bright luster. It appears not to break up badly upon exposure, and as a domestic 
coal is said to be very satisfactory. No analysis has been made of this coal. During 
the past two years the Woodruff mine has had a total output of 2,200 tons, which 
sells at $2.25 per ton. The coal finds a ready market at Meeteetse, Wyo. 

Another mine recently opened near Meeteetse is owned by Mr. Erskin. It is 
located in sec. 13, T. 48, R. 101, about 2^ miles above Meeteetse, in the lowland of the 
Gray Bull Valley. This mine is on the same seam as the Edward Blake mine, 
which has been worked for many years on the northern side of Gray Bull River. 
The coal beds have a dip of 6° to the east and are somewhat thicker than on the 
opposite side of the valley. The output for last season, during the period of develop- 
ment of the mine, was about 400 tons. 

There is a bed of coal 3 to 4 feet in width, occurring in dark-gray sandy shales 
400 feet below the base of the Wasatch, about 3 miles southeast of Meeteetse. This 
coal has been prospected at a few places along the stage road between Meeteetse and 
Moon's ranch, on Gooseberry Creek, but no mines have been opened. It is possible 
that a more extended search for coal at this horizon might result in the discovery of 
workable beds. 

That portion of the Meeteetse district lying south of Gray Bull River is sepa- 
rated into two parts by erosion along an anticlinal fold. The main body of coal- 
bearing measures lies east of Wood River, between Gray Bull River and Gooseberry 



50 GEOLOGY AND WATER RESOURCES OF BIGHORN BASIN. 

Creek, and a detached portion occurs west of Wood River. There are several 
anticlinal folds in the main body which bring the lower coal-bearing measures of the 
Laramie to the surface in a number of places along Gooseberry Creek, but openings 
have been made in only two localities. In a small ravine entering Gooseberry 
Creek from the south, and on the eastern rim of a small anticline, there is a coal 
opening kno^wTi as the Dickie mine No. 1. This mine exposes a bed of bright, 
clean-looking coal 4J feet thick without parting. The coal is immediately overlain 
by a 2-foot layer of gray clay, fine grained and compact, containing carbonized 
plant fragments. The coal is in the lower part of the coal-bearing measures and 
dips at an angle of 17° ENE. The mine has never been worked extensively and 
the main entry extends but a few feet. The coal, however, is of good quality and 
the general conditions are favorable for development. There is another bed about 
12 feet lower, the general character of which could not be ascertained owing to talus. 
The accompanying section shows the relative position of the two beds : 

Section at the Dickie mine No. 1, on Gooseberry Creek, Wyoming. 

Feet. 

Gray compact clay 2 

Coal 4J 

Gray clay 3 

Buff sandstone 6 

Brown sandstone : 2 

Impure coal 6 

About 3 miles southeast of Dickie mine No. 1, and 1 mile north of Grass Creek, 
Mr. Dickie has opened a coal bed 8 feet 3 inches thick, which is locally known as Dickie 
mine No. 2. The coal occurs near the base of the coal-bearing measures, which here 
comprises the western rim of a large eroded anticline extending from the vicinity of 
Gooseberry Creek southeastward to Grass Creek and intersecting the latter at a point 
3 miles above the mouth of Prospect Creek. The longitudinal axis of this anticline 
is 12 to 15 miles long and the transverse axis is considerably shorter. The central 
body of the basin is composed of Pierre shale, surrounded by coal-bearing sandstone. 
The only coal openings observed on this sandstone rim were the Dickie mine No. 2 
and a small showing on the southern side of Grass Creek about a mile distant. Coal 
of this horizon is said to outcrop, however, at frequent intervals along the southern 
rim of the anticline for some distance. The coal seam in Dickie mine No. 2 consists 
of two benches, separated by the usual bluish-white shaly parting near the middle. 
A 2-inch layer of light-gray shale also occurs near the top of the upper bench, but 
neither of these partings is sufficiently thick to affect materially the productive 
capacity of the seam. The coals of the upper and lower benches exhibit no essential 
points of difference in quality. The product is rather hard and compact, with an 
unusually bright luster, and a chemical analysis shows it to be an average quality of 
lignite. The mine is not operated at present, but the quality of the material, com- 
bined with the size and character of the seam, render it a desirable property. A 
section of the bed is given below: 



>-^;>i 1>. 



MINERAL RESOUKOES COAL. 51 

Section at DicMe mine, No. 2; near Grass Creelc, Wyoming. 

Ft. in. 

Coal 4 6 

Light bluish-gray slate 3 

Coal " - - 9 

Light-gray slate 2 

Coal 3 

The small detached area of coal-bearing measures lying west of Wood River is 
structurally a synclinal trough comprising about 25 square miles and extending from 
a point 3 miles rwrth of Gray Bull River southeastward to Wood River. This area is 
about 10 miles long and 2 to 3 miles wide, and its axis trends N. 5° W. The forma- 
tion is the lower part of the coal-bearing measures. The sandstones of this formation 
in the region are heavily developed, and massive sandstone layers 20 to 30 feet thick 
occur immediately above and below the coal horizon, the upper having a white and 
the lower a yellowish tint. The color and thickness of these two sandstone layers are 
very persistent throughout the Meeteetse district, and serve as an indicator of the 
position of the coal. The dips vary from 20° to 40° from rim to center, with a direc- 
tion according to their position on the periphery of the syncline. They are very 
steep along the eastern and northern sides, but to the west and south they decrease 
materially. The area is encircled by a continuous coal outcrop . The lower coal bed of 
the basal sandy division probably underlies the entire district, and the upper seam, 
75 feet higher, here locally attains a workable thickness. Development has been 
chiefly confined to Sunshine Gulch and its tributaries, about 3 miles north-northwest 
of Sunshine post-office, although openings have been made at other points within the 
area. None of these localities are operated at present, but the coal is said to be of 
good quality. The average thickness of the lower coal bed in Sunshine Gulch is 6 
feet, while the upper seam is only 2 feet 8 inches. 

A coal bed averaging 3 feet in thickness contains about 3,000,000 tons of coal 
per square mile, but of course there is considerable loss in working. There are now 
in this field about 18 square miles underlain by coal that would doubtless average 4 
or more feet in thickness. On this estimate the field has a productive capacity of 
72,000,000 tons. A trial pit near the north end of this area, in the sandstone bluffs 
on the south side of Gray Bull River, exhibits the following section : 

Section at Vetter's coal opening, near Meeteetse, Wyo. 

Ft. in. 

Bony coal 3 

Coal 10 

Bony coal. 2 

Coal 1 6 

Light bluish-gray slate _ 3 

Coal 1 

Dull-gray slate _ 1 

Coal 4 

Bluis.h-gray clay 2 6 

South of the Meeteetse district, in the vicinity of Embar, there is a small open- 
ing known as the Smith mine, which was formerly operated to some extent, but at 
present is abandoned. Some of the earlier analyses of this coal show a liigh fuel 



52 GEOLOGY AND WATER RESOURCES OF BIGHORN BASIN. 

ratio, but an unusually large amount of moisture. There is another small mine, 
about 2i miles northeast of Middleton post-office, known as the Eades mine. The 
bed is 4 feet thick without parting, and occurs in the massive gray sandstone not far 
above the top of the Pierre shales. The beds dip 9° to the north. From an incline 
about 60 feet in length that has been driven on the dip a small amount of coal is taken 
out during the winter season. The coal in appearance is black, with a bright luster 
and uneven fracture. It does not weather easily. The following section was 
measured : 

Section at Eades mine, near Middleton, Wyo. 

Feet. 

Dark-gray compact clay 2 

Impure coaly shale 1 

Coal _ . 4 

THERMOPOLIS DISTRICT. 

This district is located on the western side of Bighorn River, about 12 miles 
north-northeast of Thermopolis, and a few miles below the mouth of Kirby Creek. 
The formation consists of alternating layers of massive gray sandstone, sandy shale, 
and clays with a locally developed clinker bed occurring immediately below the 
principal coal seam of the district. This is the only clinker bed thus far observed in 
the Bighorn basin. The dip of the beds is 17° NNE. The Jones mine was 
opened in this district in the summer of 1889, but the output was small for the 
three following years, scarcely exceeding 200 tons a year. Since 1900 the annual 
output has increased to over 1,000 tons, but as yet only a small part of the field has 
been worked, and the present production of this locality could be increased many 
times. Operations have now ceased at the Jones mine, and a new opening has been 
made by McDonald & Cottle (PI. XIV, A). The principal bed is 9 feet thick, over- 
lain by a bed of sandy clay of variable thickness. Above this is another coal bed 5 
feet thick. In the McDonald & Cottle mine the sandy clay reaches a minimum 
thickness of 2 inches, which practically unites the two seams, giving a total thickness 
of 14 feet (PI. XIV, B). This is the thickest coal seam thus far observed in the 
Bighorn basin. Five other closely adjacent beds occur, four below and one above 
the 14-foot bed; three of ihe lower beds are said to be workable. The uppermost, 
outcropping 25 feet below the McDonald & Cottle vein, is 3 feet thick and apparently 
of good quality. The total thickness of the various beds exposed within close ver- 
tical range is approximately 30 feet. The material is a bright, firm, free-burning 
variety of coal. It gives a brown streak, breaks in blocks, and does not crumble 
easily on exposure. An analysis shows a rather high per cent of fixed carbon and 
moisture and only a small amount of ash. At the McDonald & Cottle mine the 
following section was taken : 

Section at the McDonald c& Cottle mine, near Thermopolis, Wyo. 

Ft. in. 

Coal 5 

Dark-gray sandy clay _ 2 

Coal 9 



GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 



PROFESSIONAL PAPER NO. 63 PL. : 



ig 





cDONALD & COTTLE MINE NEAR THERMOPOLIS, WYO. 
A. Entrance. B. Coal bed. 



MINERAL RESOUECES COAL. 53 

An area of 1 square mile underlain by a coal bed 14 feet thick would contain 
14,000,000 tons of coal, an amount far exceeding the total product of the Red Lodge 
mines during the past fourteen years. Of course, there is always a loss in working, 
and in an area of broadly lenticular coal deposits allowance must be made for a cer- 
tain amount of variation in thickness. In an area underlain by 30 feet of coal, 1 
square mile would contain 30,000,000 tons, or supposing that on an average only 
one-half that thickness were found, there would be 15,000,000 tons of coal. A deter- 
mination of the productive capacity of the entire Thermopolis district was not 
undertaken in the present reconnaissance. The total coal acreage of this region can 
be only rudely estimated, for no systematic prospecting has ever been conducted, 
but coal outcrops may be seen along the strike of the beds for several miles, and as 
the dip is uniform and moderately low the field is undoubtedly large. 

NO WOOD DISTRICT. 

An opening has been made in a coal bed which outcrops near the base of a promi- 
nent hill at the Fiead of Bud Kimball Draw, 14 miles southwest of Tensleep, Wyo. 
Coal is not mined here regularly, but many of the settlers along the No Wood Creek 
Valley obtain their fuel supply from this place. The coal bed, which occurs in the 
lower part of the Laramie and associated formations, has an aggregate thickness of 
about 6^ feet, consisting of four benches separated by a parting of bony coal and 
brown leaf -bearing shale. 

Section of coal-hearing heds near head of Bud Kimball Draw, Wyoming. 

Ft. in. 

Brown leaf-bearing shale 

Very impure coal 10 

Gray sandstone 4 

Coal containing thin layers of bone 3 6 

Brown leaf-bearing shale 10 

Bony coal . . 3 

Coal 9 

Bony coal 4 

Coal 1 6 

Bony coal _ 6 

Coal 1 

Total 9 10 

About 3 miles southeast of Bell's ranch, on No Wood Creek, there is a small coal 
district. The principal interest attached to this locality is the fact that the deposits 
are contained in the basal sandstones of the Cloverly formation, less than 50 feet 
above the Morrison formation. The coal has been prospected at frequent intervals 
for 2 or 3 miles along the strike, which here trends east-southeast, but at present 
operations are confined to one opening, known as the Diehl & Bell mine. The deposit 
consists of two benches each 4 feet thick, separated by a 2-inch layer of dark-colored 
shale. In appearance the coal is dark, with dull, earthy luster, conchoidal fracture, 
and resembles closely a carbonaceous shale. The accompanying section will show 
the thickness and relative position of the coal seams. 



'54 GEOLOGY AND WATER RESOURCES OF BIGHORN BASIN, 

Section at Diehl <& Bell mine, near Tensleep, Wyo. 

Ft. in. 

Coal 4 

Dark-gray slate 2 

Coal 4 

BASIN DISTRICT. 

The next locality of coal outcrops to the northwest is locally known as the Basin 
district, because of its nearness to Basin, the county seat of Bighorn County. There 
are two small mines in this district; the larger one, located near the mouth of No 
Wood Creek, about 5 miles southeast of Basin, is owned by Rogers & Gapen. It has 
been worked continuously for about five years, although coal has been taken from 
this opening for more than a decade. The deposit has a measured thickness of 5 feet 
and contains many thin, slaty partings, which, although numerous, are in total 
thickness insufficient to render the deposit unfit for economic development. Since 
1900 the product has averaged about 400 tons a year, with a market value of $2 per 
ton at the mine. The character of the seam is illustrated in the following section : 

Section at the Rogers & Gapen mine, near Basin, Wyo. 

Ft. in. 

Coal 1 1 

Impure coaly shale. I 

Coal 8 

Black shale 2 

Coal 7 

Dark-gray clay 6 

Coal 5 

Coaly shale 2 

Coal 11 

Dark-gray clay 2 

Coal 1 3 

There is another mine in this district, located about 1 mile southwest of Basin, 
owned by G. N. Mecklen. The bed is 2 J feet thick, with a 6-inch shaly parting 
near the base. The coal is contained in sandy beds, which here dip to the south at 
such a steep angle that the limit of economic mining will soon be reached. This 
mine produces about 600 tons a year, which is consumed by the residents of Basin 
and the Bighorn River Valley. The mine is poorly improved and the bed is too thin 
to warrant any considerable development, as is shown by the following section: 

Section of Mecklen mine, near Basin, Wyo. 

Ft. in. 

Coal --- I - 2 

Dark-gray slate 6 

Coal - - . 6 

Along the exposed area of the coal-bearing formation, between Gray Bull and 
Shoshone rivers, some prospecting has been done, resulting in the location of a few 
thin coal deposits, all of which are under the limit of a profitable working thickness. 



MINEEAL BESOURgES COAL. 55 

GARLAND DISTRICT. 

About 3 miles northwest of Garland there is a small coal-mining district. The 
coal occurs in sandstones comprising the lower portion of the coal-bearing measures. 
The productive beds outcrop in low sandstone ridges that dip gently southwestward 
and soon pass under higher beds toward the center of the basin. Two mines are 
worked at present, one by the Wyoming Coal and Fuel Company and the other by 
the Garland Coal Company. They are located within a few yards of each other and 
both are working on the same coal horizon, though a comparison of the deposits at 
the two openings shows considerable variation. At the former the seam is composed 
of an upper and a lower bench containing two distinct varieties of coal. In the upper 
bench, which is 2 feet 2 inches thick, the coal is black, with a bright luster. It occurs 
in layers and breaks into blocks. The lower bench, which is 1 foot 4 inches thick, 
consists chiefly of a brown, coaly shale with numerous thin layers of coal. The 
proportion of shale to coal varies, the former sometimes disappearing entirely. The 
two benches are not separated by a layer of slate, as is usually the case at this 
horizon, but the sudden change in the character of the material indicates the dividing 
line. 

At the Garland Company's mine a slightly different section is observed. Here 
there is an increase in the thickness of the upper bench, but in quality there appeared 
to be no essential points of difference. In the lower bench the coal predominates 
over the coaly shale. The change is due to the rapid thickening and uniting ol the 
thin coal la3'-ers. The product of both benches resists weathering fairly well for 
a lignite. Midway between the two mines the Wyoming Coal and Fuel Company 
has opened at this horizon a trial pit, which exhibits 4 feet 3 inches of coal without 
parting. The coal of the lower, bench is entirely free from shale, and in its physical 
properties appears superior to that of the upper bench. The beds in this region have 
uniformly low dips and the coal could be easily mined. The mines are less than 1 
mile from the Mantua switch on the Toluca-Cody branch of the Burlington and 
Missouri River Railroad, so that a side track might be constructed at small cost, 
which would enable the companies to ship their coal. The following measurements 
were made at the three different openings along the strike : 

Section at the Wyoming Coal and Fuel Company's mine, Garland, Wyo. 

Ft. in. 

Coal __.. 2 2 

Brown carbonaceous shale with streak of coal _ . . 1 4 

Section at the Garland Coal Company's mine. Garland, Wyo. 

Ft. in. 

Dark-gray clay 2 

Coal ^ 3 6 

Coal with streaks of carbonaceous shale 2 6 

Section at coal prospect, made hy Wyoming Coal and Fuel Company, Garland, Wyo. 

Ft. in. 

Dark-gray compact clay. 4 

Coal 4 3 



56 GEOLOGY AND WATER EESOURCES OF BIGHORN BASIN. 

SILVER TIP DISTRICT. 

This is a small district located on Cottonwood Creek on the north side of the 
divide between Clark Fork and Shoshone River. The deposit has been prospected 
at several places in the immediate vicinity, but the principal opening, the Silver Tip 
mine, is in sec. 29, T. 58, R. 100. Here considerable coal has been taken out for 
the last three years, chiefly to supply the ranch trade of Clark Fork Valley. The 
total thickness of the bed is 5 feet, including two partings of impure coal and a 
thin layer of soft light-colored clay. The main entry is driven in about 125 feet 
from the outcrop, and throughout this distance the character of the coal bed 
fixed appears to be uniform, and analysis of this coal shows a moderate amount of 
carbon and volatile matter with relatively low percentages of water and ash. A 
sectiop. of the coal bed at the Silver Tip mine is here given: 

Section at Silver Tip mine on Cottonwood Creelc, Wyoming. 

Feet. 

Gray compact sandy clay 4 

Brown leaf-bearing shale 3 

Coal 5 

Gray sandstone ^ 6 

Impure coal with streaks of leaf-bearing shale. 2 

Dark-colored sandstone 5 

BENTONITE. 

The variety of clay known as bentonite was first described in 1898, by the late 
Prof. W. C. Knight, of the Wyoming State School of Mines, and since that time 
several articles have appeared in scientific journals, a list of which are given below. " 
The mineral is a hydrous silicate of alumina, possessing peculiar physical properties. 
It occurs at various horizons in the Colorado formation and in the overlying Pierre 
shale. ■ Fresh bentonite has a pale yellowish-green color, but on exposure it changes 
to a light-cream tint. It is a fine-textured, soft, massive variety of clay, which is 
unctuous to the touch and which, upon the addition of water, forms an emulsion. 
It is characterized by its • unusual power of absorption, having the capacity of 
absorbing three times its weight of water. In a comparative test it is reported to 
have taken twice as much nitroglycerine as infusorial earth. When first taken 
from the quarry, it breaks with conchoidal fracture, but upon exposure loses this 
property and crumbles to a light yellowish powder resembling corn meal. The 
specific gravity of this clay, when fresh, is 2.18. Its resemblance to ehrenbergite 
of Germany has been pointed out by Mr. Knight and its relationship to montmo- 
rillonite by Mr. Read. The clay from different localities varies somewhat in compo- 
sition, but in general it is quite uniform in a single deposit. 

This clay has been used with success in various ways, chiefly in the manufacture 
of paper. It has also been used as a soap. It is regarded valuable as a packing for 
a special kind of horseshoe and as a diluent for certain powerful drugs in powdered 

a Knight, W. C, Eng. and Min. Jour., vol. 63, 1897, pp. 600-601; Knight, W. C, Eng. and Min. Jour., vol. 66, 1898, 
p. 491; Merrill, George P.j Ann. Rept. U.S. Nat. Mus., 1899, pp. 340, 348; Slosson, E. E., Tenth Ann. Rept. Wyo. Coll. Agric. 
and Mech., 1900, Extract, p, 14; Read, Thomas T., Eng. and Min. Jour., vol. 76, 1903, pp. 48, 49; Darton, N. H., Description 
of Newcastle district: Geologic Atlas U. S., foho No. 107, U. S. Geol. Survey, 1904, pp, 5, 9; Merrill George P., The Non- 
Metallic Minerals, 1904, pp. 233, 243; Fisher, C. A., Bull. U. S. Geol. Surv. No. 260, 1905, pp. 559-563. 



MINERAL RESOUECES BENTOISTITE. 57 

form. Dr. E. E. Slosson, of the University of Wyoming, has recommended its use as 
a retarder for certain kinds of plaster. 

Bentonite deposits were observed at many localities in the Bighorn basin, where 
they usually occur in the Colorado shales about 100 feet below the Mowry beds, 
although in one locality, near the Silver Tip coal mine, they are reported in beds 
above the Colorado formation. One of the most extensive deposits of bentonite 
observed in this district is on Dry Creek, about 8 miles east of Frannie, Wyo. Here 
the bentonite is in the black shales of the lower part of the Colorado formation, a 
short distance below the Mowry beds, which are well developed at this place. The 
deposits have a total thickness of 11 feet, distributed throughout a vertical range 
of 100 feet. The thickest layer is about 7i feet. Below the bentonite, beds of 
dark shale abound, and above are lighter shales containing bands of iron concretions. 
The material at this locality is a gray, fine-grained, massive clay, with green and 
yellow tints and is apparently of good quality throughout. The thin seams of 
gypsum, sometimes associated with the clay, are present though not conspicuous. 
The following section will show the approximate position of the different deposits at 
this place : 

Section of a portion of the Colorado formation on Dry Creek, Wyoming. 

Feet. 

Bentonite _ 2 

Dark fissile shale 12 

Bentonite 7J 

Shale. _ 30 

Bentonite _ 1 

Shale containing thin layers of bentonite 50 

Near the head of Dry Gulch, about 5 miles north of Cowley, Wyo., a IJ-foot 
layer of bentonite is found near the top of the Colorado formation. The following 
section shows the materials above and below the clay : 

. Section taken from head of Dry Gulch, Wyoming. 

Feet. 

Black shale capped by brown sandstone 6 

Bentonite 1^ 

Black fissile shale 20 

Duriag the last field season deposits of a clay possessing properties similar to 
bentonite were discovered in the lower part of the coal-bearing measures ; also in the 
overlying Wasatch formation. Those in the former are associated with thin deposits 
of coal and coaly shale in sandy beds outcropping at the head of Bud Kimball Draw, 
12 miles southeast of Tensleep, Wyo. A section of the deposit is here given: 

Section of bentonite at head of Bud Kimball Draw, Wyoming. 

Feet. 

Brown leaf-bearing sandy shale with streaks of coal _ _ _ 2 

Dark-gray clay _ 4 

Bentonite . . : . 6 

Light-gray clay 6 

Gray sandstone with carbonized wood particles 1 

Impure coal 1 

Gray sand. 



58 GEOLOGT AND WATER RESOURCES OF BIGHORN BASIN. 

In the badlands of the Wasatch formation, on the southern side of Cottonwood 
Creek, about 10 miles southeast of Meeteetse, an impure bentonite occurs. 

GYPSUM. 

The gypsum deposits of the Bighorn basin are mainly in the Chugwater forma- 
tion. They occur also in the lower part of the Sundance, formation, and at one 
locality a deposit 8 feet thick was observed in the upper part of the Morrison forma- 
tion. In the Chugwater red beds there is usually a gypsum layer 30 to 40 feet thick 
near the top of the formation and generally one of equal thickness at or near its base. 
Along the southern side of the basin the gypsum at the base of the red beds is absent. 
Thinner beds of gypsum are found at various horizons in the Chugwater formation, 
but these appear to be of local deposition. In most places where the gypsum has 
been carefully examined it is apparently of good quality, though no analyses have 
been made to determine its exact chemical nature. It is a white, compact, massive 
variety and generally occurs in beds that are free from partings. The following 
section, taken on Trail Creek northwest of Cody, will show the position of the gypsum 
in the upper part of the Chugwater red beds: 

Section of a portion of the Sundance and underlying Chugwater formation on Trail CreeTc, Wyoming. 

Feet. 

Green shale containing thin limestone layers (Sundance) 83 

Red sandy shale containing thin layers of gypsum (Chugwater) 12 

White massive gypsum_ 30 

Red sandstones (red beds). 

About 10 miles south of Cody a deposit of gypsum was observed in the upper 
part of the Morrison formation. The following section shows its relative position : 

Section of a portion of the Morrison and overlying Cloverly for-mation south of Cody, Wyo. 

Feet. 

Brown, coarse-grained, cross-bedded sandstone (Cloverly) 60 

Reddish sandy shale with thin gypsum layers. _ . 25 

White massive gypsum 8 

Reddish sandy shale with thin gypsum layers 15 

Though there are extensive deposits of gypsum throughout this area no attempt 
has been made to utilize the product except in a very small way. There is a stucco 
mill about 10 miles northeast of Windsor post-office, Wyo., in the southern part of 
Montana, where plaster is manufactured from a gypsum deposit near the base of the 
Chugwater red beds. The beds mined at this place are about 15 feet thick, and the 
product is of good quality. The material is ground and placed in ovens, where it is 
calcined at a red heat in order to drive off the chemically combined water. A 
retarder is then added to prevent it from hardening too quickly when water is 
applied. After this it is mixed with hair and placed in barrels ready for shipment. 
The entire process of converting the gypsum into stucco is relatively simple and 
inexpensive. The finished product of this mill is sold at Bridger at $12 a ton, but 
the output is not large. 



S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 



PROFESSIONAL PAPER NO. 53 PL. 




A. OIL WELL AND DERRICK NEAR BONANZA, WYO. 




HOT-SPRINGS DEPOSITS AT THERMOPOLIS, WYO. 



MINERAL EESOUECES. 



59 



OIL AND GAS. 

Bonanza oil ^eZ(Z.— Several attempts have been made to obtain oil from the 
Cretaceous shales throughout the Bighorn basin, but generally without success. 
About three-fourths of a mile southwest of Bonanza, near the axis and at the northern 
end of a small anticline in the Colorado formation, several oil seeps furnish a small 
amount of oil. The oil is from a thin-bedded sandstone underlying the Mowry beds 
of the Colora,do formation. This surface indication has caused many persons to 
believe that oil in paying quantities might be obtained by drilling, and consequently 
several deep borings have been made in this region (PI. XV, A). None of these 
have been successful, and at present all exploration has ceased. Oil from the 
Bonanza district has been studied by E. E. Slosson, of the University of Wyoming, 
and the distillation of the product is given below: 

Distillation of Bonanza petroleum, a 



No. 


Boiling point. 


Specific 
gravity. 


Degree 
Baum6. 


Flashing point. 


Burning point. 


°C. 


°F. 


"C. 


°F. 


°C. 


°F. 




60-157 
157-200 
200-237 
237-273 
273-297 
297-329 
329-371 
371-391 
391-340 


140-314 
314-392 
392-459 
459-523 
523-567 
567-624 
624-715 
715-736 
736-646 


.762 
.792 

.843 
.853 
.867 
.876 
.861 
.849 
.850 


53.5 
46.5 
40.3 

34.1 
31.4 

36.6 
34. S 
34.6 


Below 15 
18 
38 

108 
121 
46 
Below 15 
Below 15 
19 


Below 59 
64 
100 
180 
226 
250 
115 
Below 59 
Below 59 
66 


Below 15 
36 
78 
108 
132 
161 
162 
52 
48 
33 






































91 




1 





o 280 cm.3 distilled in 10 per cent fractions. 

A deep boring for oil was made at the mouth of Cottonwood Creek, on Shoshone 
River, near Cody, Wyo., but no oil was obtained. The well is located on the western 
slope of a small anticline in Colorado shale. 

Byron gas Held. — Plans are now being made to sink a deep well on the western 
side of a broad anticline, along the axis of which a small area of Pierre shale is exposed. 
Shoshone River crosses the southern end of the anticline and has cut for some dis- 
tance into the shale. In the low valley of this stream near the center of the anticline 
there are places where gas escapes in considerable quantity from the alluvial sands. 
It probably is derived from the underlying shales of the Pierre formation. The gas 
burns readily, but its quahty was not ascertained. The boring which is now pro- 
posed will doubtless demonstrate whether or not gas is present in sufficient amount 
to warrant development. 

About 3 miles east of Basin, Wyo., a small well is being dug in the Pierre shale 
for the purpose of finding gas. The present depth of the well is about 100 feet and 
an appreciable amount of gas has already been obtained. A small company has 
been organized and the work will be continued. 
11774— No. 53—06 5 



60 GEOLOGY AND WATEE BESOUECES OF BIGHOEN BASIN. 

BUILDING STONE. 

Sandstone. — Several varieties of building stone are found in the various forma- 
tions exposed in the Bighorn basin, but at present only a small amount is used. 
These varieties comprise sandstone, limestone, marble, and granite. A sandstone 
used for building occurs in the upper part of the Benton formation, and in some 
districts the Cloverly formation furnishes a sandstone of moderate firmness and 
pleasing color. The Chugwater formation also contains layers of sandstone which, 
on account of their rich red color, have been used as an ornamental stone. The 
sandstones of the Laramie and associated formations are generally too soft to be 
used in construction work. 

Limestone. ^Lmxestone, although abundant, is not generally used as a building 
material. A very pure variety of limestone, resembling marble, occxirs at the top of 
the Madison formation. In the Bighorn Mountains this stone has been quarried for 
trial. It is of a light-cream color, fine grained, uniform in texture, and apparently 
of good quahty. 

Granite. — In Shoshone Canyon, west of Cody, granite is exposed which might 
prove to be of good quality for building stone. It is a dark gray, moderately coarse- 
grained variety and appears to be firm and durable. The material is to be used in 
the large Government dam across Shoshone River, now in course of construction. 



The later Quaternary gravels along the south side of the Shoshone River Valley 
have been used by the Burlington and Missouri River Railroad Company as roadbed 
material. Gravel especially well suited for this purpose is found about 2 miles west 
of Garland. Here a switch has been built and a large amount of gravel is taken out. 
The gravels of this region are dark colored, owing to the presence of a large amount 
of volcanic material. 

FIRE CLAY. 

The Cloverly formation throughout this general region has the usual inter- 
stratified beds of clay and shale which in other districts are of refractory character, 
suitable for fire clays of good quality. None of these clays throughout the basin 
have been tested, but it is possible that they may prove to be of good quality. 



Bald Mountain district. — During the past decade various attempts have been 
made to develop gold mines in the vicinity of Bald Mountain, but the results have 
not been encouraging. The gold occurs in the basal gravels of the Deadwood 
formation, especially where these gravels have been mixed with disintegrated por- 
tions of the underlying granite and redeposited as a valley filling. The gold is fine 
grained and free, but values are low and its distribution throuhgout the gravels is 
apparently irregular. The highest assays reported are $2 a ton, but the amount is 
usually much less. 

Bighorn hasin region. — Gold is mined from placers along Clarks Fork, in the 
vicinity of Clark, and on Shoshone River below the mouth of Alkali Creek. The 
output has never been large at either of these localities. 



PROFESSIONAL PAPER NO. 53 PL. 




A, SHOSHONE RIVER AT CODY HOT SPRINGS. 
Showing Quaternary gravels and extinct geyser cone. 




NK HOLE IN GEYSER DEPOSITS. 



MINERAL EESOUECES. 61 

MINERAL WATERS. 
CODY HOT SPRINGS. 

Description. — About 3 miles west of Cody, in the bed of Shoshone Kiver, there 
are a number of warm mineral springs. Formerly springs of this character occurred 
on both sides of the river, but at present they are confined mainly to the north side, 
where, along the water's edge, within a distance of about 200 feet, five or six springs 
are found. The water issues from crevices in Embar limestone immediately under- 
lying the Chugwater red beds, which here dip eastward at an angle of about 15°. 
These beds are overlain by a deposit of Quaternary gravel 25 to 30 feet thick, capped 
by about 20 feet of travertine. Near the middle of the stream is a large spring 
which flows vigorously and is evidently under considerable pressure. During times 
of low water this spring is very noticeable, but in the flood season it is entirely covered 
by the river water. No analysis has been made of the spring water, but it evidently 
contains a large amount of hydrogen sulphide and probably some sulphuric acid. 
It is also otherwise considerably mineralized. The water is clear, warm, and emits 
a strong sulphurous odor. In the warmest spring it has a temperature of 98°. 
The water is diverted into pipes which lead to a sanitarium, where it is used both 
for bathing and for medicinal purposes. Closely associated with the springs are 
vents or crevices in the rock, from which large vohimes of hydrogen-sulphide gas 
escape, and the limestone immediately surrounding these vents is considerably 
altered. 

The geologic structure of this region is relatively simple, as is shown in cross 
section No. 3 of PI. IV. The springs occur at the lower end of Shoshone Canyon, 
at the base of Rattlesnake Mountain, which, is a moderately broad anticlinal ridge 
branching from the front range of the Absaroka Mountains. The anticline has 
long, gradual slopes on the east and steep dips on the west, and it rises to an altitude 
of about 8,500 feet. It is noteworthy that the greatest thermal activity has taken 
place on the side of lowest dips. Shoshone CaWon exposes the structure of the 
uplift down to and into the crystalline rocks. 

Hot-spring deposits. — Hot-spring deposits occur at different levels in Shoshone 
Canyon and at its upper and lower end, far above the present level of the river. On 
the north side of the river, just below the mouth of Shoshone Canyon, there is a 
broad travertine terrace covering several acres, and smaller areas are found along 
the east side of Cedar Mountain from Shoshone River southward for about 2 miles. 
The distribution of these deposits is shown on the geologic map, PI. III. A number 
of extinct geyser or hot-spring cones occur. The most prominent of these on the 
south side of Shoshone River is shown on PI. XVI, A. On the north bank of the 
river, a short distance north of the sanitarium, there is an empty crater about 70 
feet in diameter and 40 feet deep (PI. XVI, B), indicating the position of a hot pool, 
and a short distance northeast of this there is a smaller crater of similar nature. 

Source of water. — It is difficult to ascertain definitely the source of water of the 
Cody hot springs, but the flow is probably not derived from the formation in which 
the springs occur. Two water-bearing horizons underlie the Embar limestone^ 
the Tensleep and Deadwood formations — and the water is probably derived from 
oae of these sources. Under these conditions its only means of escape to the surface 



62 



GEOLOGY AND WATEE RESOUECES OF BIGHOEN BASIN. 



is through fractures in the strata along the side of the arch. If the water is derived 
from the Tensleep formation a very high heat gradient of the earth's crust in this 
region must be assumed in order to account for the temperature of the spring water, 
for this formation is not deeply covered by overlying beds between the area where 
the water passes underground and the point of its reappearance at the springs. If 
the water comes from a deeper-seated source, such as the Deadwood formation, its 
temperature can be satisfactorily accounted for. The sandstone at the base of the 
Deadwood, which is the only water-bearing horizon of the formation, is about 2,200 
feet below the surface at the springs. Assuming that the mean annual temperature 
at Cody is 50° and that there is an increase in temperature of 1° for every 50 feet 
underground below the first 50 feet, the temperature of the earth's crust at a depth 
of 2,200 feet would, be about equal to the temperature of the spring water. It 
seems probable, therefore, that the water of the Cody hot springs is derived from 
the base of the Deadwood formation and that it rises to the surface under hydrostatic 
pressure, through fractures in the strata along the base of the Rattlesnake Mountain 
anticline. 

THERMOPOLIS HOT SPRINGS. 

At Thermopolis, on Bighorn River in the southeastern part of the Bighorn basin, 
there is a hot mineral spring the flow of which has been variously estimated at from 
3,000 to 4,000 gallons a minute. Calcium carbonate is the principal ingredient of the 
water, while magnesium sodium and calcium sulphate are present in smaller amounts. 
(PI. XV, B, p. 58.) An analysis of this water made by Prof. E. E. Slosson, of the 
University of Wyoming, is here given : 

Corn-position of the waters of Thermopolis Hot Springs, Wyoming. 



SiOz 

JFcaOa and AljOg 
KCl 

Na2S04 



4.986 

.227 

10. 249 

15.110 



CaSO^ 13. 156 

CaCOg 40. 454 

NaCl 26. 195 



129. 820 



MgsSOi 19. 443 

There are two sanitariums and a large plunge located near the spring, and the 
place is rapidly becoming a popular health resort for people of northwestern 
Wyoming. The Thermopolis hot springs have been described by Mr. N. H. Darton. "■ 

WARM SPRINGS IN BLACK CANYON. 

Warm springs are reported from Sheep Canyon in the northeastern part of the 
basin, and farther up Bighorn River at the upper end of Black Canyon there is a 
small spring of mineral water which is noticeably warmer than the river water. 



Sulphur occurs in local deposits on the southern side of Shoshone River, at the 
lower end of Shoshone Canyon, and along the western side of Sulphur Creek for about 
2 miles above its mouth. It was deposited by heated waters and gas from the 
numerous hot springs that once existed in this region. A large amount of prospect- 



of the Owl Creek Mountains, etc.: U. S. Senate Doc. No. 119, 59th Congress, 1st session. 



CLIMATE. 63 

ing has been done, and development of this resource is at present being considered. 
The material appears to be of excellent quality, but there is some doubt whether it 
occurs in suflEiciently large quantities to warrant extensive development. Sulphur 
also occurs in hot-spring deposits at Thermopolis, Wyo. 

CLIMATE. 

There is a wide range of climate in the Bighorn basin region, corresponding 
mainly to differences of altitude. On the high mountains surrounding the basin 
heavy snows usually begin early in September and continue until April, while in 
the center of the basin snow rarely lies on the ground for any great length of time 
and only a few days of cold weather occur during the winter months. Very few 
meteorologic data concerning the climatic features of the mountainous regions are 
available, but in several places in the basin systematic observations have been made 
by the Weather Bureau since 1898. The following table gives a record of the monthly 
and annual mean temperature at Basin, Wyo., for a period of five years, 1898 to 
1903, inclusive, with the exception of 1901 : 

Records of the monthly and annual mean temperature, etc., in round numbers, at Basin, Wyo. 





Jan. 


Feb. 


Mar. 


Apr. 


May. 


June. 


July. 


Aug. 


Sept. 


Oct. 


Nov. 


Deo. 


Annual. 


Killing frost. 


Year. 


Mean. 


Extremes. 


Last in 
spring. 


First in 
autumn. 


1898 














73 

74 
78 
74 
74 






41 
43 

48 
49 
48 


28 
34 
30 
32 
30 


12 
12 
27 
20 
22 




Max. 


Min. 






1899 

1900 

1902 

1903 


18 
14 
12 
22 


2 
12 
23 
16 


20 
30 
36 
34 


46 
45 
46 
46 


55 
60 
61 
55 


72 
67 
70 


70 

73 
73 


59 
61 


42 
46 
40 
46 


107 
114 
107 
107 


-51 
-36 
-39 
-17 


May 5 
Apr. 18 
May 4 
June 9 


Sept. 7 
Sept. 15 
Sept. 18 






Average. 


16 


13 


36 


46 


58 


69 


74 


. 


60 


46 


31 


19 


45 



















RAINFALL. 

There is a moderate amount of rainfall in summer throughout this general 
region, especially in the mountainous districts, where it has been variously estimated 
from 30 to 40 inches. On the lower lands in the interior of the basin arid conditions 
prevail. Here the snowfall is light and the amount of rain small, the average annual 
precipitation varying from 3 to 10 inches. During the summer there are a few 
heavy showers, but they are usually of short duration. A record of the monthly and 
annual precipitation at Basin, Wyo., for a period of six years, 1898 to 1903, inclusive, 
is given in the following table : 



64 



GEOLOGY AND WATER EESOURCES OE BIGHORN BASIN. 
Records of the monthly and annual precipitation at Basin, Wyo. 



Year. 


Jan. 


Feb. 


Mar. 


Ap. 


May. 


June. 


July. 


Aug. 


Sept. 


Oct. 


Nov. 


Dec. 


Annual. 


1898 


i 




2.28 
0.57 
0.58 

0.61 
0.81 


0.80 
0.53 
0.29 
1.46 
0.24 
0.02 


0.10 
0.22 
0.06 
0.05 
0.21 
. 0.96 


0.14 
0.27 
0.15 

0.04 
T. 


0.06 
0.23 
0.31 
0.25 

0.26 


1.13 

0.38 

0.36 

0.12 

T. 

T. 


0.20 
0.00 
0.02 
0.17 
0.03 
T. 


0.10 
0.27 
■T. 
0.85 
T. 
0.06 




1899 


1.84 
0.08 
0.00 
0.16 ! 
T. 


3.56 

T. 

0.16 

0.14 

0.21 


1.94 

T. 

T. 

0.27 

T. 


0.13 
1.06 
0.36 
0.85 
0.86 


9.94 


1900 


2.91 


1901 


5.84 


1902 


2.63 


1903 


3.78 







CULTURE, 

Settlement here, as elsewhere, is determined by geologic and climatic conditions. 
Along the larger streams, where water is available, settlements are numerous, while 
the higher badlands and grazing districts are practically uninhabited. The high 
mountains on both sides of the Bighorn basin are only thinly populated. The 
Bighorn Mountains, owing to the heavy snows, the long winters, and the prevalence 
of frosts during the nights of summer are not suited to farming and they are therefore 
without permanent inhabitants. During the summer, however, herders, prospectors, 
and forest rangers live in the mountains, but the season is very short. The same is 
true of the highlands on the eastern front of the Absaroka, Beartootn, and a portion 
of the Shoshone mountains. Here, for a short season during the summer, the 
summit of the range is occupied by ranchmen from the adjoining lowlands. 

There are a number of medium-sized towns throughout the Bighorn basin. The 
town of Basin, located on the west side of Bighorn, River in the east-central part of 
the basin, is a growing place of 600 to 800 inhabitants and the county seat of Bighorn 
County. It is located on the new branch of the Burlington Eailroad now being built 
from Frannie to Worland, and is the central trading point for farmers living along a 
portion of the irrigated valleys of Bighorn and Gray Bull rivers and on Shell and No 
Wood creeks. The largest town in the basin is Cody, having a population of about 
1,200. It is situated in the northwestern part of the district, near the southern ter- 
mination of the Rattlesnake Mountains. It occupies a central location in a rela- 
tively large irrigated district, lying along Shoshone River and its more important 
tributaries. The warm mineral springs near Cody are used considerably for medici- 
nal purposes and bathing and in consequence attract a few health and pleasure seekers 
to this place during the summer months. Cody is the base of supplies for the Sho- 
shone irrigation project, which has its dam and storage reservoir about 5 miles above 
the town. Thermopolis is the third town in point of size in the Bighorn basin. It is 
situated on Bighorn River, in the southern part of the district, where it draws a 
large ranch trade from settlers along the irrigated lands of the neighboring streams. 
The most attractive feature of the place is the large hot springs which are extensively 
used for bathing and medicinal purposes and are rapidly becoming a favorite resort 
for the people of northwestern Wyoming. Meeteetse is a town of about 400 inhabi- 
tants, located on Gray Bull River in the western part of the basin, in th^ midst of 
both a grazing and irrigation district. It is the base of supplies for a large mining 
camp at Kirwin and is a central trading point for the southwestern part of the district. 



CULTURE. 65 

Garland is a small town on the Burlington Kailroad, in the northern part of the 
district, from which a large amount of freight is hauled to the interior of the basin. 
A short distance east of Garland are Byron, Cowley, and Lovell, small agricultural 
towns having a population of from 400 to 500. Worland, the terminus of the new 
Burlington road, is a growing town of 100 to 200 inhabitants, and along the eastern 
side of the basin there are several small trading points, including Shell, Bonanza, 
Hyattville, Tensleep, and Rome. 

The valley of Shoshone Eiver between Cody and Corbett is thickly settled by 
farmers. Between Corbett and Garland there are no ranches at present, but during 
the last year a number of claim shanties have been constructed on the land included 
under the proposed Government canal. Below Garland, in the vicinity of Byron, 
Cowley, Lovell, and Ionia, lies the most thickly populated district of the region. 
There are only a few scattered ranches along Bighorn Eiver below Basin, but farther 
up a number of thickly populated districts occur and the entire valley is being 
rapidly settled. Along Shell, Paintroqk, and Tensleep creeks ranches are numerous, 
and there are a few on Crooked, Beaver, Trapper, Bear, and Alkali creeks. Ranches 
occur at intervals along No Wood Creek, and on Dry Creek, about 15 miles above its 
mouth, there is a small German settlement around Germania. Gray Bull Valley is 
thickly settled throughout its entire course in the basin and on its largest tributary, 
Wood River, there are a number of well-improved ranches. The valley of Clark 
Fork, in the northwestern part of the area, is extensively farmed, and a few small 
places have been located on Newmeyer, Paint, and Pat O'Harra creeks. Along 
Owl Creek ranches occur at frequent intervals, but along Meeyero, Grass, and 
Gooseberry creeks they are generally 8 to 10 miles apart. 



INDEX, 



Absaroka Mountains, rocks of lO-U, 

12, 13-14, 15, 16, 19, 21-23, 25, 27, 28, 29 

sections in 22-23 

structure of 37-38 

topography of 3 

Acer Bolanderi, occurrence of 33 

Alkali Creek, gold near 60 

irrigation on 44 

location of 6 

rocks on 27 

sections on 20, 24, 26 

settlement on 65 

wells on 43 

Alluvium, description of 8, 35-36 

Amsden formation, description of 8, 15-16 

fossils of 15 

section of 15 

views of 14 

water of 43 

Anchor, rocks near 11, 17 

Aralia notata, occurrence of 33 

radiata, occurrence of 33 

whitneyi, occurrence of 33 

Artesian wells, possible extent of 43-44 

Astarte meeki, occurrence of 23 

sp., occurrence of 23 

Astartella gurleyi, occurrence of 21 

B. 

Baculites anceps, occurrence of 30 

asper, occurrence of 30 

sp., occurrence of 32 

Ba-kewellia sp., occurrence of 21 

Bald Mountain, altitude of 3 

dikes near 9 

gold near , 60 

rocks on 9, 11 

Basin, coal near 54 

description of 64 

irrigation near 44 

natural gas near 59 

rainfall at 63-64 

rocks near '. 30 

temperatures at 63 

Bear Creek, location of 5 

rocks on 16 

settlement on 65 

Beartooth Mountains, rocks of 19, 25, 28, 33 

topography of 3 

Beaver Creek, alluvium on 35 

fossils on 21 

rocks on 27 

settlement on 65 



Page. 

Belemnites densus, occurrence of 23, 24 

Bell & Diehl. See Diehl & Bell. 

Bennett Creek, irrigation on 45 

location of 7 

rocks on 12 

Benton group, coal in 46 

sandstone in 60 

Bentonite, description of 56-57 

occurrence of 29, 57-58 

Bighorn basin, geologic map of Pocket. 

sections across, plate showing 8 

sides of, columnar sections of, plate showing 10 

topography of 4-5 

Bighorn Basin Development Co., reclamation by 46 

Bighorn County, Wyo., Bighorn basin in 1 

Bighorn County canal, construction of 44 

Bighorn limestone, description of 8, 12-13 

fossils in 13 

weathering of, view of 12 

Bighorn Mountains, history of 39-40 

rocks of , 11, 12-14, 15-17, 23-24, 25, 26, 29, 36 

sections in 23-24, 26, 27, 30 

structure of 36 

topography of 2-3 

views on 14, 16 

Bighorn River, alluvium on 35 

canyon of, altitude of 2 

fossils from 17 

rocks in 14 

coal on 52 

course and character of 3,5 

flow of, measurements of 5 

gravels on 34 

hot springs on 62 

irrigation on 44 

rocks on 19, 21, 28 

tributaries of 5 

valley of, settlements in 65 

wells along 42, 43 

Black Canyon, warm springs in 62 

Black Mountain, altitude of 3 

rocks of 14, 15, 16 

structure of .' 37 

Blake mine, coal of 48-49 

section of 49 

Bonanza, Wyo., coal near 46 

oil near 59 

distillation of 59 

oil well and derrick near, view of 58 

Branch canal, irrigation from 46 

Bridger Mountains, topography of 3 

Bud Kimball Draw, bentonite on 57 

coal on 53 

sections on 53, 57 



68 



Page. 

Building stone, occurrence of 60 

Burns & Rogers mine, coal of 47 

section of 47 

Byron, description of 65 

irrigation at 44 

natural gas near 59 

C. 

Calapoeoia sp., occurrence of 13 

Cambrian roclcs, description of 8, 10-11 

Cambrian time, history in 40 

Camerotoechia herrickana, occurrence of 14 

Camptonectes sp., occurrence of 23 

Carboniferous rocks, descriptions of 8, 13-18 

Carboniferous time, history of 40-41 

Cardium speciosura, occurrence of 32 

sp., occurrence of 32 

Carpites sp., occurrence of 33 

Carter Creek, location of 6 

Carter Mountain, location of 38 

Cedar Creek, rocks on 11 

Cedar Mountains, fossils from 18 

rocks on 15, 16, 17-18, 19, 25 

Chugwater formation, age of 21 

deposition of 40-41 

description of 8, 18-20 

fossils of 21 

gypsum in 58 

occurrence of 38, 39 

sandstone in 60 

sections of 19-20, 58 

views of 18 

Cinchonidium ovata, occurrence of ' 33 

Cincinnati canal, irrigation by 44 

Clark, Wyo., gold near 60 

gravels near 34 

Clark Fork, alluvium on 35 

canyon of, rooks in .' 27 

sections in 20, 25 

course and character of 7 

gold near 60 

gravels on 34 

irrigation on 45 

rocks on 12, 14, 15 

settlement on 65 

tributaries of 7 

Climate, description of 63-64 

Clinker beds, occurrence of 52 

Cloud Peak, altitude of 36 

Cleverly, Wyo., dikes near 30 

rocks near : 27, 29 

section near 20, 27 

Cloverly formation, coal in 46, 53 

deposition of 41 

description of 8, 26-28 

fire clay in 60 

sandstone in ■ 60 

sections of 27-28, 28 

W3.t6T from 4.3-44 

Coal, occurrences of, description of 46-56 

sections of 47-56 

Cody, Wyo., boring near 59 

coal near 47-48 

sections of 47 

description of 64 

gypsum near 58 

irrigation near 46 



Page. 

Cody, Wyo., mineral springs at 6 

rocks near 27, 30 

sections near 22, 25, 47, 58 

stream-flow measurements ^t 6 

views of and at 2, 6 

Cody Coal Company, mine of 47-48 

mine of, section of 47 

Cody Hot Springs, description of 61-62, 64 

Colorado formation, bentonite in 56, 57 

coal in 48 

deposition of 42 

description of 8, 28-30 

fossils of 29-30 

occurrence of 38-39 

oil in 59 

section of .■ 57 

Conie mine, coal of 48 

section of 48 

Cookstove basin, rocks on 9 

Coon Creek, location of 6 

Corbett, Wyo., views near 32,46 

Corbula sp., occurrence of 30 

Cottle & McDonald. See McDonald & Cottle. 

Cottonwood Creek, bentonite on 58 

boring on 59 

location of 5 

rocks on 12, 28, 29, 37 

Cowley, description of 65 

irrigation at 44 

rocks near 29, 30 

wells near 4.3-44 

Crassatella sp. , occurrence of 30 

Cretaceous rocks, description of 8, 25-32 

Cretaceous time, history in 41-42 

Crooked Creek, irrigation from 44 

rocks on 21 

section on 19 

settlement on 65 

Crystal, irrigation near 44 

rocks near 38 

Crystal Creek, location of 5 

Culture, description of 64-65 

Cyprina sp., occurrence of 23 

D. 

Dakota sandstone, correlation of ; . . . 41 

Dalmanella testudinaria, occurrence of 13 

Darton, N. H. , fossils collected by 13, 14, 15, 32 

on Cloverly formation 26 

on Deadwood formation 10 

on Embar formation 17 

on stratigraphy 8 

on structure 36 

on Sundance formation 21 

on Thermopolis Hot Springs 62 

Deadwood formation, deposition of 40 

description of 8, 10-11 

fbssils of 10 

gold in 60 

water of 61-62 

Deer Creek, rocks on 15 

Devil Canyon, rocks in 15 

Devonian time, history in 40 

Diamond Creek, location of 6 

Dicellomus politus, occurrence of 10 

Dickie triines, coal of 50 

sections at 50, 51 



69 



Page. 

Diehl & Bell mine, coal of 53 

section at « 54 

Dikes, occurrence of 9-10,30 

view of 12 

Dinorthis pectinella 13 

subquadrata 13 

Dosinia jurassica, occurrence of 24 

Drainage, description of 5-8 

Dry Cottonwood Creek, alluvium on 35 

description of 5, 7 

irrigation on 45 

Dry Creek, alluvium on 35 

bentonite on 57 

coal on 48 

irrigation on 46, 47 

location of -" 5 

rocks on 27, 30 

section on 57 

settlement on - 65 

view on 32 

Dry Gulch, bentonite on 57 

section on 57 

Duncom Mountain, altitude of 3 

E. 

Eades mine, coal of 52 

section of 52 

Eaglenest Creek, location of 6 

Embar, coal near 51 

rocks near 17,28 

wells near 43 

Embar formation, description of 8,17-18 

fossils of 17-18 

occurrence of .^. . 39 

section of 17 

Enchostoma sp., occurrence of 18 

Equisetum sp., occurrence of 33 

Erskin's inine. coal of 49 

Euraetria verneuiliana, occurrence of 14 

Eumicrotis curta, occurrence of 23,24 

F. 

Faults, occurrence of 12 

Favosites sp. , occurrence of 13 

Fenestella sp., occurrence of 18 

Ficus sp., occurrence of 33 

Fire clay, occurrence of 60 

Five Forks Creek, rocks on 12 

Five Springs Creek, location of 5 

Formations, description of 9-36 

distribution of, map showing Pocket. 

table of 8 

Fort Union beds, correlation of 32 

Fortunatus Mill, rocks near 10, 11 

Fossils. See formation names, individual fossils, etc. 

Fox Hills sandstone, correlation of 32 

Frannie, Wyo., bentonite near 57 

rocks near 38 

wells near 44 

Frost Ridge, altitude of 4 



Gapen & Rogers. See Rogers & Gapsn. 
Garland, coal near 

description of 

gravel from 



Page. 

Garland, rocks near 38 

wells near 42 

Garland Coal Company, mine of 55 

mine of, section of 55 

Garland Flats, area and location of 4 

Gas, natural, occurrence of 59 

Geologic history, outline of 39-42 

Geologic map of Bighorn basin Pocket. 

Geology, account of 8-42 

Germania, irrigation near 46 

settlement at 65 

wells near 42 

Geysers, cone of, view of 60 

deposits of 60 

See also Hot Springs. 

Girty, G. H., fossils identified by 17,18,21 

Glauconite, occurrence of 11 

Gold, occurrence of 11,60 

Gonlobasis tenera, occurrence of 34 

Gooseberry Creek, alluvium on 35 

coal on 50 

description of 7 

irrigation on 45 

rocks of : 28 

settlements on 65 

Granite, description of 8, 9-10 

occurrence of 9-10, 60 

Grass Creek, coal near 50 

irrigation on 45 

settlements on 65 

Gravels, terrace, description of 8 

utilization of 60 

Gray Bull River, alluvium on 35 

coal on 48, 49 

course and character of 6-7 

flow measurements of 6 

irrigation on 45 

tributaries of 6-7 

valley of, character of 4 

settlements in 65 

view on 2 

wells along 42, 43 

Gryphsea calceola var. nebrascensis, occurrence of 2*' 24 

Gypsum, occurrence of 25,58 

Gypsum Creek, wells on 44 

H. 

Hague, A., on Jefferson limestone 12 

Halysites catenulatus, occurrence of 13 

Hanover canal, construction of 44 

Heart Mountain, altitude of 3 

rocks on 14, 30, 33, 37 

structure of 37 

Historical geology, outline of 39-42 

Holopea e.xcelsa, occurrence of 13 

Honeycombs, location of 5 

rocks in 33 

Horse Creek, fossils from 24 

orchards on 45 

rocks on 12, 14, 15, 16 

sections on 24 

Hot springs, deposits of, description of 8, 61 

deposits of, views of 58,60 

source of 61-62 

Hunt Mountain, altitude of 3 

rocks of 12 

Huronia sp., occurrence of 13 



70 



I. Page. 

Ilo Ridge, altitude of 5 

Inoceramus acutilineata, occurrence of 30 

f ragilis, occurrence of 30 

sp., occurrence of - 30 

Ionia, irrigation near : 45 

wells near 43 

Irma Flats, irrigation on 46 

Irrigation, extent of 44-46 

map showing 44 

J. 

Jefferson limestone, correlation of 12 

Jones mine, coal of 52 

Jurassic rocks, description of 8, 21-24 

Jurassic time, history in 41 

K. 

Kane, Wyo., fossils from near 21 

irrigation near 44 

Kirby Creek, alluvium on 35 

description of 5, 8 

rocks on 30-31 

Knight, W. C, on bentonite 56 

Knowlton, F. H., fossils identified by 32-33 

L. 

Laevidentalium canna, occurrence of 18 

Landslides, occurrence of 11 

Laramie formation, age of 32 

coal in 46, 50 

deposition of 42 

description of 8,31-32, 60 

view of 32 

water from 42, 43 

Leda sp., occurrence of 18 

Leptaena unicostata, occurrence of 13 

Limestone, occurrence of 60 

Line Creek, irrigation on 45 

location of 7 

rocks on 12, 31 

Liospira sp., occurrence of 13 

Little Bald Mountain, altitude of 3 

rocks of 11 

Little Canyon Creek, wf Us on 43 

Little Rocky Creek, Irrigation on 45 

location of 7 

rocks on 12 

Little Sheep Mountain, altitude of 4 

structure of 38 

Livingston formation, correlation of 32 

Lovell, Wyo., description of 65 

irrigation near 45 

rocks near 19 

Lovell Irrigation Company, canal of 44-45 

Lygodium kaulfusii, occurrence of 33 

Lyosoma powelli, occurrence of 23 

M. 

McCulloch teak, altitude of 3 

fossils near 33 

rocks of 33 

McDonald & Cottle, coal mine of 52 

coal mine of, section of 52 

views at : . 52 

Mactra sp., occurrence of 32 

Madison limestone,deposition of 40 



Page. 

Madison limestone, description of 8, 13-14 

fossils of i4 

occurrence of 37,38 

utilization of 60 

views of 12, 14 

Map, geologic, of Bighorn basin Pocket. 

Map, irrigation, of Bighorn basin 44 

Mecklen, G. N., coal mine of, description and section of. 54 

Medicine Mountain, altitude of 3 

fossils from 13 

rooks of 11 

Meeteetse, Wyo., bentonite near 58 

coal near 48-52 

sections of 48, 49, 50, 51, 52 

description of 64 

irrigation near 45 

stream-flow measurements at 6 

structure near 39 

wells near 43 

Meeteetse Creek, coal on 48 

location of 7 

Meeteetse rim, altitude of 4 

coal on 48 

Meeyero Creek, aUuvium on 35 

description of 7 

settlements on ' 65 

Metoicoceras gibbosus, occurrence of 30 

whitei, occurrence of 30 

Middleton, Wyo., coal near 52 

Mineral resources, descriptions of 46-63 

Mineral waters, description of 61-62 

Modiola sp., occurrence of 21, 23 

Montana, map of part of, showing area described 2 

Montana and Wyoming Oil Company, borings of 44 

Morgan's ranch, Wyoming, flow measurement at 7 

Morrison formation, deposition of 41 

description of 8, 25-26 

sections of 25-26, 58 

Mowry beds, occurrence of 29,57 

Mud Creek, wells on 43 

Myalina perattenuata, occurrence of 18 

swallowi, occurrence of 21 

sp., occurrence of 18 

My tilus sp., occurrence of 21 

N. 

Natural gas, occurrence of -59 

Navine mine, coal of 47 

Nerinea sp., occurrence of 23 

Neritina sp., occurrence of 23 

Newmeyer Creek, alluvium on 35 

irrigation on 45 

location of 7 

settlement on 65 

No Water Creek, alluvium on 35 

description of 5, 8 

rock&on 30-31 

No Wood Creek, alluvium on 35-36 

coal on 46, 53-54 

description of 7 

flow measurement of 7 

gravels on 34 

irrigation on 45 

rocks on 38 

settlement on 65 

view on 16 

wells on 42 

Nuoula sp., occurrence of 23 



71 



°- Page. 

on, distillation of 59 

occurrence of 59 

Oil well and derrick, view of ' 58 

Ordovician rocks, character of -. 8, 12-13 

Ordovician time, history in 40 

Orr mine, coal of 48 

Orthotetes inaequalis, occurrence of 14 

Osborn and Wortman, on Waaatch fossils 33 

Ostrea engelraanni, occurrence of 24 

strigilcula, occurrence of 23, 24 

sp., occurrence of 23,24 

Otter Creek, wells on 43 

Owl Creek, alluvium on 35 

course and character of 7 

fossils from 32-33 

gravels on 34 

irrigation on 45 

rocks on 17 

sections near 20, 24, 25, 28 

settlements on 65 

tributaries of 7 

wells on 42,43 

Owl Creek Mountains, rocks on 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 16, 17, 25, 28 

section in 28 

topography of 3 

Oxydiscus sp., occurrence of 13 

P. 

Paint Creek, alluvium on 35 

irrigation on 45 

location of 7 

settlement on 65 

Paintrock Creek, alluvium on 35 

gravel on 34 

irrigation on. 45 

settlements on 65 

Parkman formation , correlation of 32 

Pat O'Harra Creek, alluvium on 35 

gravels on .■ 34 

location of ' 7 

rocks on 12, 37 

settlement on 65 

Pentacrinus asteriscus, occurrence of 23 

Pholadomya papyracea, occurrence of 30 

Pierre shale, bentonite in 56 

deposition of 42 

description of 8, 30-31 

natural gas in 59 

Pitchfork ranch, Wyo., view near 2 

Platanus sp., occurrence of 33 

Plectorthis plicatella, occurrence of 13 

Pleuronya subellipticus, occurrence of 23 

Polecat Creek, fossils from 32 

Populus cuneata, occurrence of 33 

glandulifera, occurrence of 33 

zaddachi, occurrence of 33 

Porcupine Creek, dikes on 9 

rocks on 9, 12 

Protarea sp., occurrence of 13 

Pryor Mountain, rocks on 27, 29, 38 

structure of 38 

Pteria sp., occurrence of 21 

Ptychoparia owenia, occurrence of 10 



Page. 

Quaternary rocks, description of 8, 34-36 

Quercus olafseni, occurrence of 33 



Rainfall, records at 

Ralston, Wyo., gravels near 

Rattlesnake Mountain, hot springs at. .. 

rocks on 10, 12, 14, 15, 

structure of 

Rawhide Creek, location of 

Read, T. T., on bentonite 

Red beds. See Chugwater formation. 

Red Gulch, section in 

Relief, description of 

Rhipidomella michelini, occurrence of. . . 

Rogers & Burns. See Burns & Rogers. 

Rogers & Gapen, coal mine of, descriptio 



3,17-18,19,21,27,2 



Rhynchotrema capax, occurrence of . 



Sage Creek, coal on 

location of 

rocks on and near 

wells on 

Sandstone, occurrence of , 

Sandstone dikes, occurrence of 

Sapindus obtusif olius, occurrence of 

Scaphites ventricosus, occurrence of 

Schizodus symmetricus, occurrence of . . . 

wheeleri , occurrence of 

Sohuchert, Charles, fossils identified by.. 
Sections, diagrammatic, plates showing. 

Seminula humilis, occurrence of 

Serpula sp., occurrence of 

Sheep Canyon, warm springs in 

Sheep Mountain, altitude of 

dikes near 

rocks of 

structure of 

vicinity of, topography of 

Shell, Wyo., rooks near 

sections near 

view near 

Shell Creek, alluvium on 

description of 

fossils from 

gravels on 

irrigation at 

rocks on 9, 

section on 

settlements on 

Shoshone Mountains, rocks of 

structure of 

topography of 

Shoshone River, alluvium on 

boring on 

canyon of, granite from 

rooks in 

sections in 

views in 

course and character of 

dam site on, view of 

Ho w of , measurements of 

fossils from 



, 12-13, 14, 16, 21, 27 



, 15, 16 

15,17 

12,14 

3,6 

6 

6 

30 



72 



Page. 

Shoshone River, gold on 60 

gravels on 34, 60 

hot springs on ; 61 

irrigation on 44-45, 46 

reclamation project on 46 

reservoir site on, view of 46 

rocks on 9, 10 

sulphur on 62 

tributaries of 6 

valley of, settlements in 65 

views of and on ■. 6, 32, 46, 60 

Silurian time, history in 40 

Silver Tip mine, bentonite near 57 

coal of, description and section of 56 

Slosson, E. E., on bentonite 57 

on Bonanza oil 59 

on Thermopolis Hot Springs 62 

Smith mine, coal of 51-52 

South Beaver Creek, dikes on 9 

Spirifer centronatus, occurrence of 14 

Spring Creek, location of 7 

wells on 43 

Squaw Buttes, altitude of 5 

fossils from 34 

Stanton, T. W., fossils identified by 22-23,24,30,32,34 

Stinkingwater River. See Shoshone River. 

Stratigraphy, description of 8-36 

table showing 8 

Streptelasma sp., occurrence of 13 

Stromatocerium sp., occurrence of 13 

Structure, description of 36-39 

diagram showing 36 

Sulphur, occurrence of 62-63 

Sulphur Creek, fossils from near 18 

location of 6 

sulphur on 62 

Sundance formation, description of 8 

fossils of , 22-24 

gypsum in 58 

sections of 22-24, 68 

Sunshine, rocks near 31 

Sunshine Gulch, coal in 51 

Syringothyris carter!, occurrence of 14 

T. 

Tancredia sp., occurrence of 23 

Tatman Mountain, altitude of 5 

coal on 34 

gravels on 34 

Temperature, records of 63 

Tensleep, Wyo., bentonite near 57 

iTensleep Creek, alluvium on 35 

gravels on 34 

irrigation on 45 

settlements on 65 

Tensleep sandstone, deposition of 40 

description of 8, 16-17 

views of 16 

waterof 43,61-62 

Terrace gravels. See Gravels, terrace. 

Tertiary rocks, description of 8,32-34 

Tertiary time, history in 39-40, 42 

Thermopolis, Wyo., coal near 52-53 

description of 64 

hot springs at 62 

analysis of water from : 62 

deposits ol, view of 58 



Page 

Thermopylis, Wyo., rocks near 17, 28 

section near 20 

steam-flow measurements at 5 

structure near 39 

sulphur at 63 

Three Forks limestone, occurrence of 12 

Topography, description of 1-8 

Trail Creek, alluvium on 35 

fossils from 23 

gypsum on 58 

location of 6 

sections on 22, 25, 58 

Trapper Creek, alluvium on 35 

rooks on 14, 21 

section on 23 

settlement on 65 

Travertine, occurrence of 61 

Triassic rocks, description of 8, 18-21 

Trigonia americana, occurrence of 23 

conradi, occurrence of 23 

elegantissima, occurrence of 23 

montanaensis, occurrence of 23 

Trochonema robbinsi, occurrence of 13 

Trout Creek, rooks on 15 

Turritella sp., occurrence of 30 

U. 

Ulrich, E. 0., fossils determined by 13 

Underground water, supply of 42-44 

Unio haydeni, occurrence of 34 

V. 

Vetter's coal opening, section of 51 

Viviparus wyomingensis, occurrence of 34 

Volcanic rocks, description of 8, 32 

W. 

Wasatch formation, bentonite in 57-58 

deposition of 42 

description of 8, 33-34, 37 

fossils of 33-34 

view of 32 

Washakie Needles, altitude of 2, 38 

Water, underground, supply of 42-44 

Water resources, description of 42^6 

Waters, mineral, descriptions of 61-62 

Wells, artesian, possible extent of , 43-44 

Wells, shallow, distribution of 42 

West Pass Creek, rocks on 12 

Whistle Creek, location of 6 

White Creek, rocks on 14 

Willow Creek, location of 5 

Winchester, irrigation near 44 

Windsor, Wyo., gypsum near 58 

stucco mill near S8 

Wood River, alluvium on ^ 35 

coal near 49, 51 

course and character of 6 

rocks on 28 

settlement on 65 

Woodruff mme, coal of 49 

Worland, Wyo., description of 65 

W ortman and O sborn , on W asatch fossils 33 

Wyoming, map of part of, showing area described 2 

Wyoming Coal and Fuel Co., mine of, description and 

section of 55 



CLASSIFICATION OF THE PUBLICATIONS OF THE UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY. 

[Professional Paper No. 53.] 

The serial publications of the United States Geological Survey consist of (1) Annual Reports, 
(2) Monographs, (3) Professional Papers, (4) Bulletins, (5) Mineral Resources, (6) Water-Supply 
and Irrigation Papers, (7) Topographic Atlas of the United States— folios and separate sheets thereof, 
(8) Geologic Atlas of the United States — folios thereof. The classes numbered 2, 7, and 8 are sold 
at cost of publication; the others are distributed free. A circular giving complete lists may be had 
on application. 

Most of the above publications may be obtained or consulted in the following ways: 

1. A limited number are delivered to the Director of the Survey, from whom they may be 
obtained, free of charge (except classes 2, 7, and 8), on application. 

2. A certain number are delivered to Senators aud Representatives in Congress, for distribution. 

3. Other copies are deposited with the Superintendent of Documents, Washington, D. C, from 
whom they may be had at practically cost. 

4. Copies of all Government publications are furnished to the principal public libraries in the 
large cities throughout the United States, where they may be consulted by those interested. 

The Professional Papers, Bulletins, and Water-Supply Papers treat of a variety of subjects, and 
the total number issued is large. They have therefore been classified into the following series: A, 
Economic geology; B, Descriptive geology; C, Systematic geology and paleontology; D, Petrography 
and mineralogy; E, Chemistry and physics; F, Geography; G, Miscellaneous; H, Forestry; I, Irriga- 
tion; J, Water storage; K, Pumping water; L, Quality of water; M, General hydrographic investiga- 
tions; ISr, Water power; 0, Underground waters; P, Hydrographic progress reports. This paper 
is the ninety-first in Series B, and the fifty-seventh in Series 0, the complete lists of which follow. 
(PP=Professional Paper, B=Bulletin, WS=Water-Supply Paper.) 

SERIES B, DESCRIPTIVE GEOLOGY. 

B 23. Observations on the junction between the Eastern sandstone aud the Keweenaw series on Keweenaw Point, Lake 
Superior, by R. D. Irving and T. C. Chamberlin. 1885. 124 pp., 17 pis. (Out of stock.) 

B 33. Notes on geology o£ northern California, by J. S. Diller. 1886. 23 pp. (Out o£ stock.) 

B 39. The upper beaches and deltas of Glacial Lake Agassiz, by Warren Upham. 1887. 84 pp., 1 pi. (Out of stock.) 

B 40. Changes In river courses in Washington Territory due to glaciation, by Bailey Willis. 1887. 10 pp., 4 pis. (Out of 
stock.) 

B 45. The present condition of knowledge of the geology of Texas, by R. T. Hill. 1887. 91 pp. (Out of stock.) 

B 53. The geology of Nantucket, by N. S. Shaler. 1889. 55 pp. , 10 pis. (Out of stock. ) 

B 57. A geological reconnaissance in southwestern Kansas, by Robert Hay. 1890. 49 pp., 2 pis. 

B 58. The glacial boundary in western Pennsylvania, Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, and Illinois, by G. P. Wright, with intro- 
duction by T. G. Chamberlin. 1890. 112 pp., 8 pis. (Out of stock. ) 

B 67. The relations of the traps of the Newark system in the New Jersey region, by N. H. Darton. 1890. 'Jl pp. (Out of 
stock.) 

B 104. Glaciation of the Yellowstone Valley north of the Park, by W. H. Weed. 1893. 41 pp., 4 pis. 

B108. A geological reconnaissance in central Washington, by I. C. Russell. 1893. 108 pp., 12 pis. (Out of stock.) 

B 119. A geological reconnaissance in northwest Wyoming, by G. H. Eldridge. 1894. 72 pp., 4 pis. 

B 137. The geology of the Fort Riley Military Reservation and vicinity, Kansas, by Robert Hay. 1896. 35 pp., 8 pis. 

B 144. The moraines of the Missouri Coteau aud their attendant deposits, by J. E. Todd. 1896. 71 pp., 21 pis. 

B 158. The moraines of southeastern South Dakota and their attendant deposits, by J. E. Todd. 1899. 171 pp., 27 pis. 

B159. The geology of eastern Berkshire County, Massachusetts, by B. K. Emer.son. 1899. 139 pp., 9 pis. 

B 165. Contributions to the geology of Maine, by H. S. Williams and H. E. Gregory. 1900. ' 212 pp., 14 pis. 

I 



II SERIES LIST. 

WS 70. Geology and water resources of the Patrick and Goshen Hole quadrangles in eastern Wyoming and western 
Nebraska, by G. I. Adams. 1902. 50 pp., 11 pis. 

B 199. Geology and water resources of the Snake River Plains of Idaho, by I. C. Russell. 1902. 192 pp., 25 pis. 

PP 1. Preliminary report on the Ketchikan mining district, Alaska, with an introductory sketch of the geology of south- 
eastern Alaska, by A. H. Brooks. 1902. 120 pp., 2 pis. 

PP 2. Reconnaissance of the northwestern portion of Seward Peninsula, Alaska, by A. J. Collier. 1902. 70 pp., 11 pis. 

PP 3. Geology and petrography of Crater Lake National Park, by J. S. Diller and H. B. Patton. 1902. 167 pp., 19 pis. 

PP 10. Reconnais.sance from Fort Hamlin to Kotzebue Sound, Alaska, by way of Dall, Kanuti, Allen, and Kowak rivers, 
by W. C. Mendenhall. 1902. 68 pp., 10 pis. 

PP 11. Clays of the United States east of the Mississippi River, by Heinrich Ries. 1903. 298 pp., 9 pis. 

PP 12. Geology of the Globe copper district, Arizona, by F. L. Ransome. 1903. 168 pp., 27 pis. 

PP 13. Drainage modifications in southeastern Ohio and adjacent parts of West Virginia and Kentucky, by W. G. Tight. 
1903. 111pp., 17 pis. 

B 208. Descriptive geology of Nevada south of the fortieth parallel and adjacent portions of California, by J. E. Spurr. 

1903. 229 pp., 8 pis. 

B 209. Geology of Ascutney Mountain, Vermont, by R. A. Daly. 1903. 122 pp., 7 pis. 

WS 78. Preliminary report on artesian basins in southwestern Idaho and southeastern Oregon, by I. C. Russell. 1903. 

51 pp., 2 pis. 
PP 15. Mineral resources of the Mount Wrangell district, Alaska, by W. C. Mendenhall and F. C. Schrader. 1903. 71 pp., 

10 pis. 
PP 17. Preliminary report on the geology and water resources of Nebraska west of the one hundred and third meridian, 

by N. H. Darton. 1903. 69 pp., 43 pis. ^ 

B 217. Notes on the geology of southwestern Idaho and southeastern Oregon, by I. C. Russell. 1903. 83 pp., 18 pis. 
B 219. The ore deposits of Tonopah, Nevada (preliminary report) , by J. E. Spurr. 1903. 31 pp., 1 pi. 
PP 20, A reconnaissance in northern Alaska in 1901, by F. C. Schrader. 1904. 139 pp., 16 pis. 

PP 21. The geology and ore deposits of the Bisbee quadrangle, Arizona, by F. L. Ransome. 1904. 168 pp., 29 pis. 
WS 90. Geology and water resources of part of the lower James River Valley, South Dakota, by J. E. Todd and C. M. Hall. 

1904. 47 pp., 23 pis. 

PP 25. The copper deposits of the Encampment district, Wyoming, by A. C. Spencer. 1904. 107 pp., 2 pis. 

PP 26. Economic resources of the northern Black Hills, by J. D. Irving, with contributions by S. F. Emmons and T. A. 

Jaggar, jr. 1904. 222 pp., 20 pis. 
PP 27. A geological reconnaissance across the Bitterroot Range and Clearwater Mountains in Montana and Idaho, by 

Waldemar Lindgren. 1904. 122 pp., 15 pis. 
PP 31. Preliminary report on the geology of the Arbuokle and Wichita mountains in Indian Territory and Oklahoma, 

by J. A. Taff, with an appendix on reported ore deposits in the Wichita Mountains, by H. F. Bain. 1904. 97 pp., 

8 pis. 
B 235. A geological reconnaissance across the Cascade Range near the forty-ninth parallel, by G. 0. Smith and F. C. 

Calkins. 1904. 103 pp., 4 pis. 
B 236. The Porcupine placer district, Alaska, by C. W. Wrigkt. 1904. 35 pp., 10 pis. 
B 237. Igneous rocks of the Highwood Mountains, Montana, by L. V. Pirsson. 1904. 208 pp., 7 pis. 
B 238. Economic geology of the lola quadrangle, Kansas, by G. I. Adams, Erasmus Haworth, and W. R. Crane. 1904. 

83 pp., 1 pi. 
PP 32. Geology and underground water resources of the central Great Plains, by N. H. Darton. 1905. 433 pp., 72 pis. 
WS 110. Contributions to hydrology of eastern United States, 1904; M. L. Fuller, geologist in charge. 1905. 211 pp., 5 pis. 
B 242. Geology of the Hudson Valley between the Hoosic and the Kinderhook, by T. N. Dale. 1904. 63 pp., 3 pis. 
PP 34. The Delavan lobe of the Lake Michigan Glacier of the Wisconsin stage of glaciation and associated phenomena, by 

W. C. Alden. 1904. 106 pp., 15 pis. 
PP 35. Geology of the Perry Basin in southeastern Maine, by G. O. Smith and David White. 1905. 107 pp., 6 pis. 
B 243. Cement materials and industry of the United States, by E. C. Eckel. 1905. 395 pp., 15 pis. 
B 246. Zinc and lead deposits of northeastern Illinois, by H. F. Bain. 1904. 56 pp., 5 pis. 
B 247. The Fairhaven gold placers of Seward Peninsula, Alaska, by F. H. MoflSt. 1905. 85 pp., 14 pis. 
B 249. Limestones of southwestern Pennsylvania, by F. G. Clapp. 1905. 52 pp., 7 pis. 
B 250. The petroleum fields of the Pacific coast of Alaska, with an account of the Bering River coal deposit, by G. C. 

Martin. 1905. 65 pp., 7 pis. 
B 251. The gold placers of the Fortymile, Birch Creek, and Fairbanks regions, Alaska, by L. M. Prindle. 1905. 16 pp., 

16 pis. 
WS. 118. Geology and water resources of a portion of east-central Washington, by F. C. Calkins. 1905. 96 pp., 4 pis. 
B 252. Preliminary report on the geology and water resources of central Oregon, by I. C. Russell. 1905. 138 pp., 24 pis. 
PP 36. The lead, zinc, and fluorspar deposits of western Kentucky, by E. O. Ulrich and W. S. Tangier Smith. 1905. 

218 pp., 15 pis. 
PP 38. Economic geology of the Bingham mining district of Utah, by J. M. Boutwell, with a chapter on areal geology, by 

Arthur Keith, and an introduction on general geology, by S. F. Emmons. 1905. 413 pp., 49 pis. 
PP 41. The geology of the central Copper River region, Alaska, by W. C. Mendenhall. 1905. 133 pp., 20 pis. 
B 254. Report of progress in the geological resurvey of the Cripple Creek district, Colorado, by Waldemar Lindgren and 

F. L. Ransome. 1904. 36 pp. 
B255. The fluorspar deposits of southern Illinois, by H. Foster Bain. 1906. 75 pp., 6 pis. 
B 256. Mineral resources of the Elders Ridge quadrangle, Pennsylvania, by R. W. Stone. 1905. 85 pp., 12 pis. 
B 257. Geology and paleontology of the Judith River beds, by T. W. Stanton and J. B. Hatcher, with a chapter on the 

fossil plants, by F. H. Knowlton. 1905. 174 pp., 19 pis. 



SERIES LIST. Ill 

PP42. Geology of the Tonopah mining district, Nevada, by J. E. Spurr. 1905. 295 pp., 24 pis. 

WS 123. Geology and underground water conditions of the Jornada del Muerto, New Mexico, by C. R. Keyes. 1905. 

42 pp., 9 pis. 
'WS 136. Underground waters of Salt River Valley, Arizona, by W. T. Lee. 1905. 194 pp., 24 pis. 
PP 43. The copper deposits of Clifton-Morenci, Arizona, by Waldemar Lindgren. 1905. 375 pp., 25 pis. 
B 265. Geology of the Boulder district, Colorado, by N. M. Fenneman. 1905. 101 pp., 5 pis. 
B 267. The copper deposits of Missouri, by H. F. Bain and E. 0. Ulrich. 1905. 52 pp., 1 pi. 

PP 44. Underground water resources of Long Island, New York, by A. C. Veatch and others. 1905. 394 pp., 34 pis. 
WS 148. Geology and water resources of Oklahoma, by C. N. Gould. 1905. 178 pp., 22 pis. 
B 270. The configuration of the rock floor of Greater New York, by W. H. Hobbs. 1905. 96 pp., 5 pis. 
B 272. Taconic physiography, by T. M. Dale. 1905. 52 pp., 14 pis. 
PP 45. The geography and geology of Alaska, a summary of existing knowledge, by A. H. Brooks, with a section on climate, 

by Cleveland Abbe, jr., and a topographic map and description thereof.by R.M. Goode. 1905. 327 pp., 34 pis. 
B 273. The drumlins of southeastern Wisconsin (preliminary paper), by W.C. Alden. 1905. 46 pp., 9 pis. 
PP 46. Geology and underground water resources of northern Louisiana and southern Arkansas, by A. C. Veatch. 1906. 

— pp., 51 pis. 
PP 49. Geology and mineral resources of part of the Cumberland Gap coal field, Kentucky, by G. H. Ashley and L. C. Glenn, 

in cooperation with the State Geological Department of Kentucky, C. J. Norwood, curator. 1906. 239 pp., 40 pis. 
PP 50. The Montana lobe of the Keewatin ice sheet, by F. H. H. Calhoun. 1906. 62 pp., 7 pis. 
B 277. Mineral resources of Keuai Peninsula, Alaska: Gold fields of the Turnagain Arn^ -jion, by F. H. Moffit, and the 

coal fields of Kachemak Bay region, by R. W. Stone. 1906. 80 pp., 18 pis. 
WS 154. The geology and water resources of the eastern portion of the Panhandle of Texas, by C. N. Gould. 1906. 

64 pp., 15 pis. 
B 278. Geology and coal resources of the Cape Lisburne region, Alaska, by A. J. Collier. 1906. 54 pp., 9 pis. 
B 279. Mineral resources of the Kittanning and Rural Valley quadrangles, Pennsylvania, by Charles Butts. 1906. — pp., 

11 pis. 
B 280. The Rampart gold placer region, Alaska, by L. M. Prindle and F. L. Hess. 1906. 54 pp., 7 pis. 
B 282. Oil fields of the Texas-Louisiana Gulf coastal plain, by N. M. Fenneman. 1906. 146 pp., 11 pis. 
WS 157. Underground water in the valleys of Utah Lake and Jordan River, Utah, by G. B. Richardson. 1906. 81 pp., 9 pis. 
PP 51. Geology of the Bighorn Mountains, by N. H. Darton. 1906. 129 pp., 47 pis. 
WS 158. Preliminary report on the geology and underground waters of the Roswell artesian area, New Mexico, by C. A. 

Fisher. 1906. 29 pp., 9 pis. 
PP 52. Geology and underground waters of the Arkansas Valley in eastern Colorado, by N. H. Darton. 1906. 90 pp., 28 pis. 
WS 159. Summary of underground- water resources of Mississippi, by A. F. Crider and L. C. Johnson. 1906. 86 pp., 6 pis. 
PP 53. Geology and water resources of the Bighorn basin, Wyoming, by Cassius A. Fisher. 1906. 72 pp., 16 pis. 

SERIES 0, UNDERGROUND WATERS. 

WS 4. A reconnaissance in southeastern Washington, by I. C. Russell. 1897. 96 pp., 7 pis. (Out of stock.) 

WS 6. Underground waters of southwestern Kansas, by Erasmus Haworth. 1897. 65 pp., 12 pis. (Out of stock.) 

WS 7. Seepage waters of northern Utah, by Samuel Fortier. 1897. 60 pp., 3 pis. (Out of stock.) 

WS 12. Underground waters of southeastern Nebraska, by N. H. Darton. 1898. 56 pp., 21 pis. (Out of stock.) 

WS 21. Wells of northern Indiana, by Frank Leverett. 1899. 82 pp., 2 pis. (Out of stock. ) 

WS 26. Wells of southern Indiana (continuation of No. 21), by Frank Leverett. 1899. 64 pp. (Out of stock.) 

WS 30. Water resources of the Lower Peninsula of Michigan, by A. C. Lane. 1899. 97 pp., 7 pis. (Out of stock.) 

WS 31. Lower Michigan mineral waters, by A. C. Lane. 1899. 97 pp., 4 pis. (Out of stock.) 

WS 34. Geology and water resources of a portion of southeastern South Dakota, by J. E. Todd. 1900. 34 pp., 19 pis. 

WS 53. Geology and water resources of Nez Perces County, Idaho, Pt. I, by I. C. Russell. 1901. 86 pp., 10 pis. 

WS 54. Geology and water resources of Nez Perces County, Idaho, Pt. II, by I. C. Russell. 1901. 87-141 pp. 

WS 55. Geology and water resources of a portion of Yakima County, Wash., by G. O. Smith. 1901. 68 pp., 7 pis. 

WS 57. Preliminary list of deep borings in the United States, Pt. I, by N. H. Darton. 1902. 60 pp. (Out of stock.) 

WS 59. Development and application of water in southern California, Pt. I, by J. B. Lippincott. 1902. 95 pp., 11 pis. (Out 

of stock.) 
WS60. Development and application of water in southern California, Pt. II, by J. B. Lippincott. 1902. 96-140 pp. (Out of 

stock. ) 
WS 61. Preliminary list of deep borings in the United States, Pt. II, by N. H. Darton. 1902. 67 pp. (Out of stock.) 
WS 67. The motions of underground waters, by C. S. Slichter. 1902. 106 pp., 8 pis. 

B 199. Geology and water resources of the Snake River Plains of Idaho, by I. C. Russell. 1902. 192 pp., 25 pis. 
WS 77. Water resources of Molokai, Hawaiian Islands, by Waldemar Lindgren. 1903. 62 pp., 4 pis. 
WS 78. Preliminary report on artesian basins in southwestern Idaho and southeastern Oregon, by I. C. Russell. 1903. 

53 pp., 2 pis. 
PP 17. Preliminary report on the geology and water resources of Nebraska west of the one hundred and third meridian, 

by N. H. Darton. 1903. 69 pp., 43 pis. 
WS 90. Geology and water resources of a part of the lower James River Valley, South Dakota, by J. E. Todd and C. M. Hall. 

1904. 47 pp., 23 pis. 
WS 101. Underground waters of southern Louisiana, by G. D. Harris, with discussions of their uses for water supplies and 

for rice irrigation, by M. L. Fuller. 1904. 98 pp., 11 pis. 
WS 102. Contributions to the hydrology of eastern United States, 1903, by M. L. Fuller. 1904. 522 pp. 
WS 104. Underground waters of Gila Valley, Arizona, by W. T. Lee. 1904. 71 pp., 5 pis. 
11774— No. 53—06 6 



"-^-^t^y-i. ^^r^ 



IV SEKIES LIST. 

WS 106. Water resources of the Philadelphia district, by Florence Basoom. 1904. 75 pp., 4 pis. 

WSllO. Contributionstothehydrologyof eastern United States, 1904; M. L. Fuller, geologist in charge. 1904. 211 pp., 5 pis. 

PP 32. Geology and underground water resources of the central Great Plains, by N. H. Darton. 1904. 433pp., 72 pis. ('""■it 

of stock.) 
WS 111. Preliminary report on underground waters of Washington, by Henry Landes. 1904. 85 pp., 1 pi. 
WS 112. Underflow tests in the drainage basin of Los Angeles Kiver, by Homer Hamlin. 1904. 55 pp., 7 pis. 
WS 114. Underground waters of eastern United States, by M. L. Fuller, geologist in charge. 1904. 285 pp., 18 pis. 
WS 118. Geology and water resources of east-central Washington, by F. C. Galkins. 1905. 96 pp., 4 pis. 
B 252. Preliminary report on the geology and water resources of central Oregon, by 1. C. Russell. 1905. 138 pp., 24 pis. 
WS 120. Bibliographic review and index of papers relating to underground waters published by the United States Geo- 
logical Survey, 1879-1904, by M. L. Fuller. 1905. 128 pp. 
WS 122. Relation of the law to underground waters, by D. W. Johnson. 1905. 55 pp. 
WS 123. Geology and underground water conditions of the Jornada del Muerto, New Mexico, by C. R. Keyes. 1905. 42 pp., 

9 pis. 
WS 136. Underground waters of the Salt River Valley, by W. T. Lee. 1905. 194 pp., 24 pis. 
B264. Record of deep-well drilling for 1904, by M. L. Fuller, E. F. Lines, and A. C. Veatch. 1905. 106 pp. 
PP 44. Underground water resources of Long Island, New York, by A. C. Veatch and others. 1905. 394 pp., 34 pis. 
WS 137. Development of underground waters in the eastern coastal plain region of southern California, by W. C. Menden- 

hall. 1905. 140 pp., 7 pis. 
WS 138. Development of underground waters in the central coastal plain region of southern California, by W. C. Menden- 

hall. 1905. 162 pp., 5 pis. 
WS 139. Development of underground waters in the western coastal plain region of southern California, by W. C. Menden- 

hall. 1905. 105 pp., 7 pis. 
WS 140. Field measurements of the rate of movement of underground waters, by C. S. Slichter. 1905. 122 pp., 15 pis. 
WS 141. Observations on the ground waters of Rio Grande Valley, by C. S. Slichter. 1905. 83 pp., 5 pis. 
WS 142. Hydrology of San Bernardino Valley, California, by W. C. Mendenhall. 1905. 124 pp., 13 pis. 
WS 145. Contributions to the hydrology of eastern United States :M. L. Fuller, geologist in charge. 1905. 220 pp., 6 pis. 
WS 148. Geology and water resources of Oklahoma, by C. N. Gould. 1905. 178 pp., 22 pis. 
WS 149. Preliminary list of deep borings in the United States, second edition, with additions, by N. H. Darton. 1905. 

175 pp. 
PP 46. Geology and underground water resources of northern Louisiana and southern Arkansas, by A. C. Veatch. 1906. 

— pp., 51 pis. 
WS 153. The underflow in Arkansas Valley in western Kansas, by C. S. Slichter. 1906. 90 pp., 3 pis. 
WS 154. The geology and water resources of the eastern portion of the Panhandle of Texas, by C. N.;Gould. 1906. 64 pp., 

15 pis. 
WS 1.55. Fluctuations of the water level in wells, with special reference to Long Island, New York, by A. C. Veatch. 83 pp., 

9 pis. 
WS 157. Underground water in the valleys of Utah Lake and Jordan River, Utah, by G. B. Richardson. 1906. 81 pp., 9 pis. 
WS 158. Preliminary report on the geology and underground waters of the Roswell artesian area. New Mexico, by C. A. 

Fisher. 1906. 29 pp., 9 pis. 
PP 52. Geology and underground waters of Arkansas Valley in eastern Colorado, by N. H. Darton. 1906. 90 pp., 28 pis. 
WS 159. Summary of underground-water resources of Mississippi, by A. F. Crider and L. C. Johnson. 1906. — pp., 6 pis. 
PP 53. Geology and water resources of the Bighorn basin, Wyoming, by Cassius A. Fisher. 1906. 72 pp., 16 pis. 

The following papers also relate to this subject: Underground waters of Arkansas Valley in eastern Colorado, by G. K. 
Gilbert, in Seventeenth Annual, Pt. II; Preliminary report on artesian waters of a portion of the Dakotas, by N. H. Darton, 
in Seventeenth Annual, Pt. II; Water resources of Illinois, by Frank Leverett, in Seventeenth Annual, Pt. II; Water 
lesources of Indiana and Ohio, by Frank Leverett, in Eighteenth Annual, Pt. IV; New developments in well boring and 
irrigation in eastern South Dakota, by N. H. Darton, in Eighteenth Annual, Pt. IV; Rock waters of Ohio, by Edward 
Orton, in Nineteenth Annual, Pt. IV; Artesian well prospects in the Atlantic coastal plain region, by N. H. Darton, 
Bulletin No. 138. 

Correspondence should be addressed to 

The Director, 

United States Geological Survey, 
July, 1906. Washington, D. C. 




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